


A Christmas Snowstorm

by SlytherinImpala



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: A Flight Before Christmas, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Weather, Based on Christmas Movie, Blizzards & Snowstorms, Bozeman, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, First Kiss, Fluff, Holidays, M/M, New Year's Kiss, New Years, Sharing a Room, Slow Burn, Small Town Christmas, Snow Storm, alternative universe, montana
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:42:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21892360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherinImpala/pseuds/SlytherinImpala
Summary: When Danny’s boyfriend dumps him right before Christmas, he decides to fly home with his daughter and celebrate the holidays with his family. Naturally nothing goes as planed - Enter one tall, dark and annoying Steve McGarrett in Danny's life.This story is based on the Christmas movie "A Flight Before Christmas," and as such a significant portion of the dialogue is taken straight from the movie, and greatly interspersed with my original ideas.
Relationships: Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams
Comments: 61
Kudos: 297





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fanfic I have ever published, and it is un-beta'ed, so sorry about typos, grammatical mistakes, random Christmas goblins appearing on your screen, etc. 
> 
> I rewatched the movie and couldn't get the resemblance to McDanno out of my head, so this is the end result. I sincerely hope to finish it before Christmas day, but life might get busy over the actual holidays.
> 
> Enjoy!

Danny Williams was walking down the street in sunny Honolulu, while his mother was trying to talk his ear off on the phone. “Mom, we talked about this, lots of couples live together, it’s not scandalous."

His mother speech continued, “It doesn’t bother me that you’re moving in with Brian. It bothers me that you’re _only_ moving in with Brian. And over Christmas…. it’s the one time of the year we get to see you.”

“And there we are,” Danny replied, looking over at Kono Kalakaua, his partner at the Honolulu Police Department, walking next to him. 

“If it’s so serious with this Brian, why aren’t you bringing him home?” 

“Mom…. you know how crazy our work lives are. We are spending the vacation time unpacking and getting settled at the new place. And that doesn’t leave a lot of time to fly across the country to visit you and dad in New Jersey.” 

“Well, I wouldn't want Christmas with the family to be a burden.” Danny could hear the sarcasm dripping through the phone line. 

“Mom, I’m trying, but I can’t do everything.” 

——

Danny finally hung up and stuffed his phone into his pocket, fumbling a little with the badge on his belt. Kono bumps his shoulder, “What’d you expect, brah? She’s your mother.” 

“Not a guilt trip in the middle of Christmas, even if it was somewhat restrained. She didn’t once ask me, when Brian and I were getting married.” 

Kono grinned, “At least moving in together means you’re one step closer to marriage.” 

“It shouldn’t matter, Kono.” Danny ran his hand through his blonde hair. “I have a good life. I have a job and good friends, even if their sanity is questionable at best,” Danny shoved playfully at Kono as he said the last part, “for crying out loud, I have been married once already, and she already has a grandkid… so really, she shouldn’t be hounding me anymore.” Danny’s hands were now flailing about as they often did, and Kono could sense a full blown rant coming on and broke in to stop it. 

“She just wants you to be happy,” she said and slapped Danny on the back, putting her arm easily over his shoulders, while Danny tried and failed not to look annoyed that his partner was just slightly taller than him. “Come on, my haole, lunch break is over, time to catch some bad guys.” 

——

Steve was looking at the display cases in front of him. He felt almost blinded by the light reflecting of all those precious stones. Next to him was Freddie Hart, his first hire as the new head of the Five-0 Taskforce. Freddie and him had stuck together ever since they dragged each other through BUD/s, and Steve couldn’t imagine running Five-0 without him. 

Freddie looked at Steve, “You sure, you’re ready for this, man?”

“Freddie, Cath and I have been together for over 5 years,” Steve rubbed his temple. “Shouldn’t I have done this already?” he asked, half of Freddie, half of the guy behind the counter of the jewelry store, who just shrugged. 

Steve and Catherine had been on/off for years, until finally 5 years ago they decided to actually making it official, and say that they were, in fact, a couple. Once, Steve decided his Navy career was coming to an end, he had been set to settle down on the East Coast, where Cath was by now permanently stationed. But then, he had visited his Dad on O’ahu, who, along with the governor of Hawaii, had all but handed him the keys to Five-0. A job that Steve hadn’t known, he wanted, until it was offered, and he couldn’t find a reason to say no. As it was, he’d been flying back East to see Cath as often as their schedules allowed. He hoped that a marriage proposal could at least make her consider putting in a request to transfer to Pearl Harbor or maybe even retire to the reserves with Steve and perhaps start a life and a family together. 

“Any suggestions?” Steve looked questioningly at the jeweler, who in turn looked to Freddie, who just shrugged and said, “Don’t look at me.”

“I think, you’ll just know, when you find the perfect ring,” the jeweler finally said.

Steve heaved a deep sigh, which made Freddie exclaim, “Really?! None of them?!” 

——

Danny was packing the last of his meager belongings in to the last box, ready to be carried out to the car. He was looking forward to picking up his daughter, Grace, from her mother; when a soft knock sounded on the door frame of the open door behind him. 

“Come on in, the keys are right there on the table,” Danny said expecting his petite female landlord to come pick up the keys.

“Hi Danny,” said the very male voice of Danny’s boyfriend, instead. 

“Oh, Brian, hi,” Danny said as he turned around and walked over, placing a kiss on Brian’s cheek. The other man was just a little bit taller than Danny, with black hair and deep dark eyes that Danny remember noticing from the moment they met. Danny walks over to the box, closing it up. “I think that’s the last of it. Turns out, you accumulate more crap than you think, even in a tiny studio apartment.”

“Danny, can we….” Brain starts and is interrupted by Danny, “Are you okay? You look pale, you’re not getting sick, are you?” Danny guided Brian to sit on the couch. 

“I don’t think we should move in together,” Brian broke in rather loudly. 

“Huh?” Danny was dumbfounded. 

“I think we should break up,” Brian starts and holds up a hand to stop the oncoming rant from Danny. “Things haven’t been going well for a few months…” 

“Hold up. Yeah… Relationships are tough, but we agreed to move in together to actually have time to fix those issues,” Danny breaks in.

Brian sighs and looks at Danny, “I asked, because I thought it was what you wanted, Danny, and I thought, I could want it, but I don’t.” 

Danny stood up, “And you waited to tell me until AFTER I cancelled my lease, packed up everything I own, and told my daughter that we’d be spending Christmas decorating her new room.”

“I had to be sure,” Brian said in a perfectly normal tone.

“You do realise, you just made me homeless, right? Along with my daughter, two days before Christmas?” Danny said, holding back his anger, or he might just punch the man in front of him. 

“Danny, you’re a great guy, but…” Brian wasn’t allowed to finish. 

“I know I am,” Danny interjected and then all but yelled, “Get the hell out, Brian!” and proceeded to shove his now ex-boyfriend out the door and slamming it in his face. 

—— 

  
Danny was channel surfing on Kono’s couch, and seeing only happy couples and family Christmas celebrations, as he heard Kono and Grace rummaging through the kitchen for ingredients to hot chocolate, and Danny had a sneaking suspicion that as soon as Grace was put to bed, Kono would dig out something with a lot more percentages. 

When Brian had left, Danny had stuffed his suitcase, and the last of his boxes in the car, and left a voicemail for his landlord that the keys were on the counter. He had then driven straight to Rachel’s. Stan, Rachel’s husband, hadn’t picked Grace up from school yet, but that only gave him a chance to explain things to his ex-wife. Despite all their difficulties towards the end of their marriage, and Danny’s initial annoyance that she had dragged his daughter to this pineapple infested hellhole of a rock in the middle of the Pacific, they were now the closest to friends that they had been in a long time. And Danny no longer resented Hawaii with a passion. Rachel had hugged him, told him it would be alright, and that she and Stan would help him find a new place. And as much as he didn’t want to feel indebted to Rachel’s new husband, he was grateful. And he was even more grateful that she hadn’t tried to persuade him to let her take Grace with her and Stan to England for the holidays, now that Danny’s Christmas plans were looking a little uncertain. 

Kono had been his first call after he had closed the door in Brian’s face. He didn’t even have to ask, she had told him in no uncertain terms that he and Grace could crash in her guest room for as long as he needed. Kono couldn’t be more different from Danny, on the outside at least, they looked like polar opposites. She was tall, beautiful, slim and dark, Danny was blonde, compact and on the shorter side for a guy. But Kono had quickly become like an annoyingly badass little sister. She was unlucky enough to be assigned the new haole transplant, because bonding with a partner was easy, when everyone thought she had only made it to homicide detective as quickly as she had, thanks to her cousin being the chief of detectives. 

Danny very quickly found out that she took shit from absolutely nobody, which also included other people dissing her partner, and she was smart as a whip. It didn’t take him long to figure out that Chin Ho Kelly had actually assigned his cousin as Danny’s partner, because she was one of the few people on the force, who might actually give the blonde haired, New Jersey native a fighting chance. She had made fun of his tie, and had started calling him “my haole” from day one. But when Danny had seen her punch out a guy, who was twice her size, and had been holding a gun to Danny, he decided, she was the only one allowed to call him “haole.” And he’d do anything, he could, to make her the best damn detective Honolulu had ever seen. 

His musings were interrupted by an 7 year old ball of energy, who launched herself at Danny and gave him a hug, while Kono followed carrying three mugs piled high with whipped cream and a plate of cookies on a tray. Grace and a mug as big as her face settled next to Danny, who put an arm around her, and gratefully accepted a mug from Kono, who curled up in what Danny thought looked more like a yoga pose than a comfortable way of sitting in an armchair. Dany had explained to Grace that they’d be staying with Kono for a while, because Danny and Brian wouldn’t be moving in together anyway. Danny wasn’t sure of her reaction, to be honest, but she seemed to have taken it quite alright. 

——

Grace had been tucked in a few hours ago, and in true Kono fashion she had broken out a bottle of whiskey. Now, Danny was sitting in the darkened living room, comfortably buzzed, with the remote in his hands once again. Kono had said goodnight 40 mins ago with a kiss to Danny’s cheek, but he didn’t feel ready to go to bed just yet. 

_“Everybody seems to want to go home for Christmas….”_

Danny looked up at the TV, and a thought struck him. He picked up his phone and searched for flights from Honolulu to Newark. All of them where either booked or more expensive than the rent on his last place. When he finally found a cheap flight, a red eye with three layovers, and it sold out before he could press buy, he almost gave up. But then his phone pinged and notified him of a last minute sale. 

——

The next morning found Grace and Danny being dropped off at the terminal by Kono, who hadn’t been all that enthusiastic about being woken up at 5.30 and told to drive them to the airport, until Danny told her she could drive his Camaro as much as her heart desired, while he was gone. 

Grace seemed ecstatic to be going to New Jersey to see her grandparents, much more so than she had at the prospect of getting to decorate her own room, when Danny had first told her, he was moving in with Brian. Danny reached in to his pocket for some change, and dumped it in the charity bucket of the Santa standing right by the entrance, making Grace beam up at him. Despite everything, Rachel and he had done a good job raising that kid. “Thank you, young man. Do you want anything for Christmas?” Asked the bearded guy, who Danny thought must be sweating severely in the Hawaiian heat. “Uh, new partner, place to live, got any of those?” Danny said only a little sarcastic. Santa smile overbearingly. As Santa asked Grace what she wanted, Danny noticed an older white haired gentleman looking over at them, smiling. 

——

Steve was walking toward the entrance to that very same terminal, turning back and waving to Freddie, when that very same Santa asked, “Spare some change for the homeless?”

Steve stopped and dug out his wallet, “Sure, of course.” He smiled and dropped a 10-dollar bill. “Can I grant you a wish in exchange?” The man asked him. Steve smiled, “I don’t know, does Santa help people make big life decisions?” 

As this exchange was taking place, the same older man, who had smiled at Danny, was looking at Steve, smiling and nodding ever so slightly to himself. 

——

“Excuse me?” Steve said, as he tried crossing through the line that Danny and Grace was standing in. 

“No, I won’t excuse you. I’m in line here, we’re all just patiently waiting in line.” Danny said, “You think, you’re so special, you can just cut the line? Let me guess, first class…” 

Steve grinned and broke in, “Actually, yes, but um…” he trailed off and held up his boarding pass, as he pointed to the sign that said “precheck”. “One of the few perks of flying across the country, a lot. Anyway, good luck.” Steve smiled at Danny and Grace and left.

When they finally made it to the front of the line, Danny was rummaging through his carry-on shoulder bag, but couldn’t find their ticket, when he promptly dropped his tablet. 

“Oh, careful,” came the warm voice of the older man Danny had seen outside. “Wouldn’t want to break that.” He had picked up Danny’s tablet and was handing it back. “Don’t worry, everyone needs a little help during the holidays.” 

“Thanks, buddy,” Danny replied, stuffing the tablet back in the bag. The old man reached over to the front pocket and produced the ticket. “I believe you were looking for this.” The man smiled, and winked at Grace, and before Danny had time to properly thank him, he was gone. 

As Danny handed over his ticket, he noticed something wasn’t quite right. “Huh? I thought we had three layovers.” The guy behind the counter looked at him with tired eyes, and mumbled, “Must be your lucky day. Line 3.” Danny grabbed the ticket and Grace, and made his way towards security, while he whispered to himself. “I must have been more tired and/or drunk, than I thought last night.”

——

Steve boarded the plane, looked at the text from Cath, and turned his phone off for the flight. As the rest of the passengers came on to the flight, Steve noticed an older man, who was struggling with his bags and jacket. Steve couldn’t help but overhear that the gentleman had a seat all the way in the back. 

“Excuse me, sir, would you like my seat?” Steve got up and was already taking his bag out of the overhead compartment as the man started to protest. “No, please, it’s a long flight, you’ll get to stretch your legs,” Steve finished. 

“Mr. McGarrett, you’re giving up a seat in first class,” the flight attendant interrupted. 

Steve smiled, grabbed his bags and said with a wink, “I’ll live, at least it isn’t a seat in a cargo hold,” and made his way to the other man’s intended seat. 

Steve was getting seated, again, as he saw the shorter, blonde man, who had all but yelled at him in the line, walking down the aisle, with a girl, who Steve assumed was the hot head’s daughter, in tow.

Danny felt his phone vibrating in his pocket, “Brian,” he said rather cooly as he answered.

“I was just wondering, when you were going to pick up your stuff?” Brain asked on the other end.

“You can’t be this much of a jerk!” Danny exclaims, while looking towards mister tall, dark and handsome that Danny had reprimanded rather loudly in the terminal, and who was now sitting in the aisle seat of Danny and Grace’s row.

“Dude, I was just waiting for you to board,” Steve explained not realizing that the other man was on the phone. 

Danny didn't notice, what the guy was saying, too busy trying not to use a string of swearwords in front of his daughter to answer Brian’s question of why Danny thinks he’s a jerk. “Excuse us,” Danny says to the other man, guiding Grace to the window seat and trying not to bump into the other man as he takes the middle seat for himself. 

Danny continued his conversation. “Because, Brian, I just boarded a plane with my daughter, to go see my family in New Jersey for the holidays - after you ruined mine, because you are a ungrateful man-child, who I have sadly wasted almost two years of my life on. I mean, what kind of a person, dumps their boyfriend, kicks them out of the house, they were going to move in to, during the holidays!” Several rows, and Steve, turned to look at Danny. 

“Sir, the captain has turned on the seatbelt sign,” the flight attendant tried to break in, as Danny’s loud conversation continued, but Danny didn’t hear her. 

“Buddy!” Danny registered mister tall, handsome and annoying (as his mind had dubbed the guy) poking him and signaling toward the flight attendant, who was staring at Danny and repeating, “All electronic devices must be turned off for take off.” 

“We’ll continue this later, Brian,” Danny hung up the phone. He ensured that Grace was correctly strapped into her seat. She was already busy looking out the window. 

——

Steve was looking through the in-flight magazine, when the guy next to him said, “Well, if it isn’t the line cutter.” 

Steve chuckled, “I wasn’t cutting the line.”

“What happened to first class?” Danny asked

“I traded it,” Steve shrugged. 

“No, really,” Danny said in disbelief, “you’re telling me you gave up a first class seat and decided to sit here instead. Let me ask you a question, are all other men than me liars, or is it just the ones in my life?”

“No, just an older man having a rough day, so I helped him out. You’d have done the same.” Steve smiled. 

“Yeah, I’m feeling real charitable right now,” Danny huffed, and turned to look at his daughter, as a flight attendant’s voice came over the speakers. 

_“Welcome, onboard flight 1225 to New York, our captain is Captain Dunn, who has informed me that the flight time will be approximately 9 hours and 30 minutes.”_


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, family Christmas is a bit more demanding than anticipated, and try telling your parents that their 27 year old daughter has to go finish that fanfic she is writing. Anyway, here is another chapter. I'll try to get the remaining chapters up as soon as I find time in-between Christmas duties to type them up.
> 
> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from a rain soaked Denmark.

The plane was well over the mainland, below them were snow capped mountains, and Danny was skimming through a book that Kono had given him about Hawaiian culture. Grace was leaning her back against Danny’s arm and was deeply engrossed in the movie, she was watching on Danny’s tablet. Suddenly, the plane shook with turbulence, which stopped as quickly as it came. Luckily, Grace was an easy flyer, Danny not so much. Immediately, he felt the constant underlying claustrophobia of being trapped in a metal tube high above the ground getting worse. He put the book down, and moved more upright in his seat. 

——

Steve, who had been sitting with his eyes closed trying to maybe catch a few z’s, cracked open an eye and noticed the blonde man moving. 

The plane jolted again, harder this time, and Steve heard a soft whisper of “oh god, we’re gonna die.” Steve figured the man was probably trying to avoid the young girl hearing him. 

“We’re not gonna die,” Steve said, in what he hoped was a calming tone. 

“How do you know?” The other man asked. 

“Because these days I fly a lot, and I have flown in a lot worse conditions with the Navy,” Steve sent him a small smile.

“Oh yeah, so the Army made you an expert in flight, weather and aerodynamics, did it?” The man snarked back. And Steve couldn’t help but smile, as he replied, “Navy…. And technically, yes, since I have a pilot’s license, although not commercial, but really, flying is perfectly safe. Trust me.” 

Danny grimaced and turned to look at his daughter, who was still engrossed in the film. 

As the plane jolted once more, Danny instinctively grabbed mister I-was-in-the-navy’s hand, and very quickly let go again, when Grace gasped next to him. The plane stilled once again, and Grace was now tucked comfortably under Danny’s arm, and curled up with the tablet on her knees. 

“You know,” Danny said, and turned to face Steve, “I was supposed to be back home, moving in to a new apartment, but no, instead, this is happening.”

Steve, who admitted to himself that yes, the turbulence was a little more than usual, said, “I’m sure it’s just a little turbulence, and it’ll be over soon.” Of course, that was when the plane jumped, again, worse than it had before. Steve looked over and saw the girl, now without headphones, looking scared. The seat belt sign pinged back on and a voice came over the plane’s intercom. 

_“We are currently experiencing a strong storm with wind gusts of up to 30 mph. Due to this, we cannot land in New York at this time. To be safe, this plane is being diverted to Bozeman, Montana, until the storm lets up. We’re sorry for the inconvenience, and hope to get everyone home for the holidays as soon as possible.”_

Loud groans sounded around the entire cabin, as they felt the plane turning around. 

“Dad, what’s happening? Are we going to be okay?” Steve heard the young girl whisper. 

“Yeah, Monkey,” Steve heard the man say, with a voice that had a much softer edge to it than the voice he’d used with Steve. “The weather on the way to New York is just a little rough, so we have to land in Montana and wait there. They are just being very safe, like when grandpa drives really, really slow in the snow. Now, why don’t you finish your movie, and then tell me all about it, when we land, huh?” The girl beamed up at her dad, and settled back in to his side, and popped her headphones back in. 

——

The airport in Bozeman was exactly as overcrowded as Steve had feared. He looked down at his phone and hit dial once again, and was immediately met with an all lines are busy signal. He tried one last time, and the call finally went through. Cath answered on the third ring, “Steve? Aren’t you supposed to be in the air? I was about to leave to come and get you in an hour.”

“Yes, but we hit a storm and were rerouted to Montana,” Steve answered trying not to sound too annoyed. 

“Really,” Cath responded, “so how late are you gonna be?”

Steve blinked, “I don’t know. I don’t control the weather, honey. I am fine, by the way, thanks for asking.” 

Cath groaned, “I’m sorry, but I just have a lot going on.” 

Steve wasn’t fooled, he could hear the badly hidden annoyance in her voice, “It would have been easier, if you’d come to O’ahu for Christmas.” 

“Steve,” Cath drew out his name, and Steve knew what was coming, “We talked about this. It just isn’t Christmas, when it’s 70 degrees.”

“How do you know?” Steve began, but backpedalled, “No, forget about it. I don’t want to argue.” 

“I know, and I’m glad you’re okay,” some of the annoyance in Catherine’s voice had dissipated.

“Yeah…I’ll call you when I know more, alright?” Steve ended the call. 

——

Danny, who’d been standing right in front of the other man in line, couldn’t help but overhear Steve’s part of the conversation. “You know what I just realized about this whole thing,” he began and turned to look up at Steve, “there were plenty of signs. I just didn’t want to see ‘em.”

Steve asked confused, “What whole thing?”

“Doomed relationships,” the shorter man replied as if it was the most normal answer ever.

“Where you listening to my conversation?” 

Danny held up a hand, “I wasn’t listening. I was standing two feet away, while you talked loudly. I’m just a human being with ears.”

“Yeah, well, if I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it.” Steve straighten up as he hefted his bag further up his shoulder. “And from what I heard earlier, you’re not exactly an expert on relationships.”

Danny turned completely around, leaving Grace seated on their suitcase behind him, “I’m sorry, were you listening to my conversation?”

Steve shrugged. “I believe the entire plane did.” 

“Okay, here is my point. I’m kind of an expert on doomed relationships,” Danny began. “Yes, I was yelling at my ex on the plane. He decided to break up with me two days before Christmas Eve, right after I cancelled my lease on my apartment and packed up all my stuff to move in with him. So, Happy Holidays to me, right?”

“Wow, someone broke up with you? Imagine that.” Steve replied. 

And Danny was off, “Alright, I’ll admit it. In the past four years, my wife divorced me, remarried and moved my daughter all the way to Hawaii from New Jersey; and I spent two years with a guy, who turned out to be a jerk. I don’t know what it is, maybe I’m just a crap judge of character. I mean, I think I’m a good communicator….”

Steve cut in, “Are you done?” 

“Yeah, I am done, done with relationships, love…”

“I meant talking.”

Danny glared at the guy, and turned back toward the line as he spoke, “You know, based on your conversation, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad choice for you either.” 

“Relationships take work, patience, and compromise. And you have to be willing to go that extra mile.” Steve replied. 

Danny rolled his eyes, “And I suppose you’d do just that?”

“Yup, all 5,000 of them. Every month for the past two years. I make it work.” Steve rocked on the balls of his feet. 

“You’re probably right,” Danny said, and ignored the other man’s thank you as he continued, “I mean, how hard can it be to make it work one weekend a month.”

“Flight 1225?” Asked the man behind the counter, before Steve could respond to Danny’s statement. 

The two men and Grace made their way to the counter. 

“We have all of you booked on new flights out,” the group that had gathered breathed a sigh of relief, “Tomorrow at 4 pm,” the clerk ended the sentence. The relieved sighs quickly turned to displeasured groans. No one was looking forward to not flying home until 4 pm on Christmas Eve. 

——

It was 8pm and the night had settled over Bozeman, Montana, and the airport was stuffed full of people, who were all either on their phones or trying to find a comfortable spot to relax. Steve had somehow managed to tuck his 6 foot something frame in to two joined metal seats. He’d had no luck so far in finding a hotel room. He’d even asked the snack vendor. His current position wasn’t the most comfortable. He’d certainly slept in worse conditions, but it was also clear that he was now closer to 40 than 25. He hadn’t been able to get through to Cath again, but they had managed a few texts, and she wasn’t exactly happy that all her carefully laid plans were now in ruin. Steve really didn’t see why Christmas had to be so extravagant, visiting a bunch of people you only ever see on Christmas anyway, and going out to overcrowded spaces to eat and drink. Steve would pick the quiet of his back yard, the waves rolling in, a cold beer and Christmas carols on the radio over any of that any day. He let his eyes wander, and found himself once again focusing on the blonde man and his daughter from the plane. 

——

Danny had situated himself and Grace in a corner. Grace was sleeping on the floor on Danny’s jacket, while she was tucked in to one of his knitted sweaters, and she look pretty content. Meanwhile, he’d been calling every single hotel he could find listed online to find a room, but no luck. His phone vibrated in his hand. “Hi mom!”

“We heard about all the grounded flights, are you and Grace okay, honey?” His mom’s voice came through the speaker. 

“Yes, mom. I mean an airport in the midwest is not my ideal spot to spend the night before Christmas Eve, but here we are. Grace is sleeping and is treating the whole thing like an adventure. But we’ll probably have to spend the night here.” Danny filled in his mom.

“Oh no, that won’t do!” Came a voice next to Danny, and as he looked over, he saw the older man, who’d helped him find his ticket back in Honolulu. The man was putting his newspaper down, as Danny said to his mom, “I gotta go mom, I’ll call you back soon.”

“I remember you. You helped me with my ticket in Honolulu,” Danny said by way of greeting and turned to the man. 

“Noel,” the man extended his hand.

“Danny Williams,” Danny shook Noel’s hand.

“You haven’t found a room?”

“It’s Christmas in ski country, and I think everyone here has called the same 30 hotels and motels. Luck doesn’t seem to be on my side today.” Danny replied, “How about you, Noel?”

“I got friends nearby. I pass through here for work all the time,” Noel explained

“What do you do?”

“Oh, mainly distribution,” Noel said casually and continued, “My point is, I know the area, and there is a small hotel a few towns over. It’s called The Inn at Charles Peak. I know the owners. If you tell them, you’re a friend of Noel’s, I’m sure they can find you and your little girl a warm bed for the night.”

“Really?!” Danny peeked up at the news. “Are you like my good luck charm today or something?”

Noel chuckled, “Nah, just a friend. What’s it called when you pass on a good deed?… Paying it forward.” Noel pointed to the man, who Danny was still referring to in his mind as tall, dark and annoying, and said, “That young man gave up his seat in first class for me on the plane.”

“He really did that,” Danny was surprised. 

“Maybe you can find him a room too,” Noel said kindly and got up to leave, “Merry Christmas, Danny.”

“Merry Christmas,” Danny replied, while he stared at the man Noel had pointed out.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter while it's still mostly Christmas. It's past midnight in my timezone, and I have had two long days, so beware the grammar goblins possibly messing up my typing. :)
> 
> I'm driving my grandmother and myself back to our respective homes tomorrow, so with a bit of luck the last chapters will be up within the next few days. Thank you for the patience, the kudos and the very lovely comments, they are much appreciated.

“The Inn at Charles Peak, how may I help you?” A woman’s cheery voice answered the phone. 

“Um, hi. I’m a friend of Noel’s,” Danny began, “he said you might have a couple of rooms available.”

The woman replied, “Oh, I’m sorry, honey, we’re fully booked. I wish we could help, any friend of Noel’s is a friend of ours.”

“I was afraid you’d say that,” Danny rubbed the bridge of his nose, “we’re in Bozeman and can’t fly out until tomorrow.”

“Wait,” the woman said suddenly, “this might just be your lucky day.”

“I’m fairly certain that’s not the case,” Danny mumbled. 

“It seems a reservation for one of our nicest rooms, a suite, was just cancelled, it’s yours if you want it.” The woman told him. 

“Yes, please, I want it,” Danny tried not to sound too desperate. 

—— 

Danny woke up Grace, put on his own coat, and scooped his daughter up on his arm. He was walking out to his waiting cab, dragging their suitcase behind him. He stopped as he passed the sleeping man from the plane. He replayed Noel’s request in his mind and poked the other man on the arm. He jolted awake. 

“Do you need a place to sleep tonight?” Danny began, and readjusted his half-asleep daughter. 

“Why? Are you saying that my accommodations here are lacking?” Steve replied sitting up in his seat. 

“If you needed a place to stay, if you had no other options, you could share a room with me and my daughter,” Danny nodded his head toward the girl. “Noel, the guy you gave your seat to on the plane….”

“You called me a liar, when I said that.” Steve broke in.

“Well, it was a little hard to believe.” Danny shrugged. 

“Are you apologizing?”

Danny looked down at the other man and said, “Buddy, you got two choices. Either I can apologize, or I can offer to share with you, what is likely the last vacant hotel room in a 80 mile radius. So, what’s it gonna be?”

“You wanna share your hotel with me?” Steve squinted.

“No!” Danny replied quickly, “but it’s Christmas, and I am after all trying to teach my daughter to do good for others, so I might as well set a good example. Are you coming or not?” 

“Thank you, yes, I would like to take you up on your offer,” Steve made to shake the man’s hand, but realized his right hand and arm was busy carrying the daughter, instead he simply introduced himself. “Lt. Commander Steve McGarrett, I’m with Five-0 back home in Hawaii.” Steve had felt the need to include his work title. He figured, even if the man seemed alright with sharing a room with his daughter and a perfect stranger. He might feel a bit more at ease, knowing that Steve was essentially a cop. 

Danny grinned. “Detective Danny Williams, HPD,” and nodded to his daughter, “and this little monkey is Grace. There’s a cap waiting outside.” 

“Let me help you with your suitcase,” Steve offered. 

——

The cab drove through the snowcapped landscape. Danny looked over at Steve, and he had to admit that it eased his doubts about inviting the man to share the room with him and Grace, when he heard the man was Five-0. And the son of the former Detective McGarrett, who Captain Kelly spoke highly about, if his last name was anything to go by at least. 

Grace had awoken fully, while the they were getting in to the cab. She was sitting between the two men, leaning against Danny. She’d already introduced herself to Steve and had been asking him a bunch of questions, which Steve had, to Danny’s surprise, answered with the greatest patience. So far, Danny had learned that Steve had been a Navy SEAL and had grown up in Honolulu. His father was, as Danny had guessed, the former HPD detective turned leader of the governor’s special task force, Five-0. Steve’s mother had passed away, when Steve was 15, and he had left for Annapolis soon after. His girlfriend’s name was Catherine; and she had decided to not follow him to back to Hawaii, when he took the job leading Five-0, hence the flying across the country all the time.

In turn, both Danny and Steve had been given a full recap of the movie Grace had been watching on the plane. Although, the plot to Zootopia seemed to have escaped Danny completely. Grace had also, with the occasional input from Danny, told Steve about them. Grace had talked about moving to Hawaii with her mom and Step-Stan, while Danny followed, because he was, in her words, ‘the best Danno ever.’ Danny had told Steve that he was born and raised in New Jersey and he missed the city, his family and the food. Steve also knew that Grace loved dolphins, and that she wanted to be a surfer like Auntie Kono had been, when she grew up. “Oh, and Danno doesn’t like pineapple on pizza.” Grace ended her explanation, and Danny had to admit that his mind had started to wander sometime around dolphins and a discussion about Lilo and Stitch. As it was, he now had no idea how Grace and Steve had gotten around to discussing pizza toppings. 

Steve looked at Danny, “What’s wrong with pineapple on pizza?” 

That question got Danny back on track. Grace giggled. Steve just had time to wonder whether that question had actually been such a great idea, when Danny spoke, his Jersey accent immediately more pronounced, “Let me explain something to you, okay? Pizza is mutz, sauce and dough. That is it. Alright? You wanna put a pepperoni on your slice, that's fine. But, ham? Out! Fruit? Out! Okay? I don't care where we live. Pizza and pineapple do not belong in the same air space.” 

Steve huffed a laugh, “I guess you feel quite strongly about that.” 

——

“Danno, I’m hungry,” Grace said looking up at him with those big eyes, and Danny thought through everything in their luggage. They hadn’t really had a proper meal since the plane. And while Danny was kind of used to skipping meals, because he often forgot to eat, when he was immersed in a case, Grace was not. “I know, honey, I’m sorry. I’m sure we can find something, when we get to the hotel.” 

“Hey Grace,” Steve said, “do you like nuts?” Grace nodded, “I have a bag of almonds and cashews somewhere.” Steve held up the fresh, still closed bag, looking over at Danny. Steve opened the bag and handed in to Grace, when Danny nodded and mouthed a silent thank you.

“Thank you, Mr. McGarrett,” Grace said with a smile.

“You’re welcome, Grace. And you can call me Steve, Mr. McGarrett is my dad.” He smiled down at the young girl.   
  
“So, who’s Danno?” Steve asked, while Grace was munching. 

“That’s what I call Daddy,” Grace replied simply. 

“When she was very young she tried to say my name, and all that came out was Danno.” Danny explained a bit more, “And she’s the only one who gets to call me that.” Danny added for good measure. Steve just smiled. 

They rode in near silence for another 15 mins, until the driver said, “Welcome to Charles Peak!” 

Danny, Grace and Steve looked out and saw an idyllic small town nestled between the mountains, snow covered streets lit up by Christmas lights. 

——

The cab finally pulled up in front of the small inn. As they made their way inside they were greeted by a cheery middle aged couple. “Hi, you must be Noel’s friends. I’m Marie and this is my husband Joe. Welcome to Charles Peak.”

“Thank you. I’m Danny Williams, and this is my daughter Grace,” Danny replied and shook Joe’s offered hand.

“Steve McGarrett,” Steve reached out a hand to Joe. 

“Aw, such a nice family,” the woman said.

“Oh no, we’re not…” Danny gestured between him and Steve, who had spoken the words along with him. “We actually met on the plane. I just took pity on him. He was sleeping on a tiny bench… it was pathetic, really,” Danny continued and tried to ignore Steve’s affronted look. 

“Oh, I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to assume.” Joe said, “let’s get you settled then. Follow me.”

——

Joe opened to the door to a big yet cozy room. Danny spotted the king sized bed, the door to the bathroom, and a comfortable looking couch further in the room. 

“This is the hotel’s pride and joy, the honeymoon suite.” Marie told them, “I didn’t know, if you had actually had a chance to get something decent to eat at the airport. So, there are some sandwiches and a few sodas in the small fridge for you, and you are of course welcome to make coffee or tea any time.” She pointed to the small kitchenette in the corner closest to the door. 

“Thank you so much, ma’am,” Steve said with a smile. 

Danny chimed in, “Yes, thank you!”

“Alright, we’ll leave you to it. Breakfast is from 8-10am. Sleep well.” Joe said and ushered his wife out the door.

——

“You gotta admit this is a tad nicer than your small bench at the airport,” Danny said as he dumped his bags on the bed. Grace was already exploring the room.

Steve turned and gave him a wry smile, “My bench had a minimalist charm. But seriously, thank you.” 

Danny and Steve shared a look, when Steve continued, “Even though I would very much like to sleep in an actual bed, I’ll take the couch. You and Grace can have the bed.” 

“Thank you,” Danny said simply as he unzipped the suitcase and called, “Grace, come here a minute.” Grace wandered over and Danny handed over her folded up pajamas and ushered her towards the bathroom. “Go change, and we can have some food, before you’re heading straight to bed, monkey.”

Danny called his mother, while he could see Steve calling the girlfriend, he assumed, at the other end of the room. His mother picked up almost before he finished hitting the dial button. “Hi mom, I just wanted to let you know that we found a room a few towns over. An older man from the plane told me about a couple of his friends who manages an inn. We got lucky.” 

“Oh that’s nice, honey.” His mom replied, and his dad asked, “when will you get here?” 

Danny sighed, “Well, we’re booked on a plane out tomorrow, so hopefully tomorrow evening.” 

At that moment Grace came bounding in to the room and spoke a little loudly, “The bathroom is very nice, Danno. Tell grandma and grandpa I can’t wait to see them.” 

——

At the other end of the room, Steve was listening to Catherine asking, if he really wouldn’t make it in time for Christmas dinner. And then Grace spoke loudly enough for Cath to hear the girl’s voice over the line, “Is there a girl with you?”

“Well, yes,” Steve answered, “but…”

“Why is there a girl in your room?” Cath interjected with an edge to her voice. 

“Cath, take it easy, will you,” Steve kept his voice even. “She is seven year old girl. I met her and her dad, Danny, on the plane. He’s a cop back in Hawaii, by the way. The room is theirs, not mine. Danny thought, I looked pathetic trying to sleep on a tiny metal bench and offered to share their room.” 

“So, a stranger asks you to share a hotel room, and you just say yes?” Cath was back to being unhappy instead of suspicious. 

“Well, it was either that or sleep on a bench in an ice cold airport,” Steve rolled his eyes. “He is a cop, Cath, with a seven year old daughter. I highly doubt he is an ax-murder, and besides I can take care of myself.” 

“Maybe that’s not what I’m afraid of,” Cath replied in a quiet voice. 

Steve was momentarily silent, “Cath… Have I ever given you reason to doubt me? I wouldn’t do that to you.” 

Cath was silent for a while before replying, “I know, Steve. It’s just really hard being so far away from each other.”

“Well, maybe we should talk about that, when I see you.” Steve said and tried to stifle a yawn. “I should get some sleep, Cath. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

——

“Is there someone else with you?” Danny’s mother asked suddenly, she’d always had ears like a bat. It used to drive Danny and his brother mad that they could never get away with anything. 

Danny sighed, quietly, “Yes, mom.”

“Why is someone else in your room? Are you sure you and Grace are okay, sweetheart?” 

“His name is Steve McGarrett, we sat next to him on the plane, and he looked pathetic trying to sleep on a tiny bench. He’s part of the Five-0 Taskforce back home, mom, he is practically a cop.”

“Oh, okay, just be careful, and get here safely.” His mother answered, and Danny could practically hear the gears turning in her head. “Is he nice, this Steve?” 

“Yes, mother.” Danny answered as evenly as he could after this by now very long day. “Well, Grace spent the entire cab ride talking his ear off, and he didn’t once seem annoyed with her. Although, he does like pineapple on pizza.” His mother gave him a chuckle, “He is perfectly nice, if a little annoying.” 

“Alright, honey, you and Grace sleep well, and say hi to this Steve. We’ll see you tomorrow.” He could almost see his mother actually waving at her phone. 

“Goodnight, mom, and just to be safe, let’s just say I’ll see you before New Year’s Eve.”

——

“Who is perfectly nice but annoying?” Steve asked, when Danny put his phone down. 

“You,” Danny answered simply with a grin, “my nosy mother says hi.”

“Thanks,” Steve said, “are they sad you and Grace won’t make it in time for Christmas dinner tomorrow?” 

Danny bent down to inspect the sandwiches in the fridge, picked out a ham and cheese one and handed it over with a glass of water to his daughter, who’d already curled herself up on the sofa and found a children’s Christmas program on the TV.

“I guess,” Danny answered Steve. “Of course, they wanted us to get there tonight as planned, instead of being stuck at a hotel in the midwest.” 

And of course Danny had to ask Steve, “How’d Catherine take the news?” 

Steve shrugged, picking out a sandwich for himself as he answered, “She was annoyed. She’s made so many Christmas plans with family and friends, and now this is messing up all that careful planning.” Steve held up two sandwiches as if signaling to Danny which one he wanted, before he continued. ”Actually, she seemed more annoyed that she had to rearrange the schedule than me being stuck here for the night. That is until she heard Grace talking ‘in my room’” That last part of the sentence was completed by the one handed air quotes. 

“Huh?” Danny said distracted as he accepted the sandwich he’d pointed to, “you hadn’t told her you were sharing a room?” 

“Hadn’t gotten around to it yet,” Steve shrugged, “I told her that Grace is seven and that I met you and her on the plane, and that you offered up the room, but I’m not sure she’s all that happy anyway.” 

Danny and Steve had both sat down by a small table in a corner. Danny took a bite of his food and looked at Steve thoughtfully. Danny spoke in a lower voice, so that Grace would ignore it in favor of the TV. “What? She afraid you’d do something stupid, if you were sharing a room with some woman?” 

“I don’t know,” Steve shrugged. “I would never do that to her, and she’s never had reason to think that I would. And the way she said it, it didn’t sound like it calmed her down that Danny wasn’t short for Danielle.” 

“Well, if you live so far away from each other, one would think trust was an essential part of making things work.” Steve didn’t say anything in reply. They finished their food in silence. 

Danny looked over at Grace, who was conked out on the sofa, half the sandwich still in her hand. He got up and turned down the bed, before he picked her up and carried his still sleeping daughter to the bed. Behind him, Steve looked on with a fond smile. 

Danny sat back down and took a sip from his soda. “You know, I never really asked,” Danny began. “I mean from our conversations you should already know that I’m not actually what most people would call straight. And while I know that most people aren’t assholes, I just wanted to make sure that you’re not one of the assholes.” 

Steve looked up at him with a look of pure surprise on his face prompting Danny to add, “Maybe, I should have asked that before the whole ‘want to share the last room?’ conversation, huh?” 

“It’s fine, Danny, you can stop rambling. I’m not an asshole, not about that anyway.” Steve answered, looking so goddamn honest, Danny actually wanted to punch him. “I served under DADT, and it ruined a lot of lives. I always thought it was ridiculous,” Danny breathed a sigh of relief, while Steve continued in a lower voice, “it might not have affected me, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t one day have.”

Danny decided that Steve didn’t look like he wanted to discuss that last part of his statement, so he left it at that and said simply, “Thank you, Steve.” 

Steve got up and started clearing away the trash, while Danny was rummaging through his luggage. “We should probably get some sleep too. You can have first go at the bathroom, while I make up a bed with the spare bedding.” Steve said. 

“Yeah, sure, thanks.” Danny mumbled, and then spoke a little louder as he looked back at the other man from the bathroom door, “Goodnight, Steve.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you go, the fourth chapter is live. I'm still not sure if there'll be 6 or 7 chapters, but I'll try to get the last chapters up by Monday at the latest. Thanks for hanging in there with me. Kudos and comments as always makes a writer work faster. ;)

Danny woke slowly. It had been well over midnight before he had gone to bed last night, and as he slowly regained consciousness, he remembered where he was and why. He turned over and cracked open an eye to check on his daughter, who was supposed to be sleeping next to him. The bed was empty. He sat up and spotted the young girl. 

Grace was tucked in the corner of the sofa that had been Steve’s improvised bed last night. Steve himself was awake as well and looked fresh as a daisy, which Danny felt was unfair seeing as he felt like he had been hit by a train yesterday. In her hands, Grace held what Danny figured was a cup of hot cocoa, and Danny could smell the coffee that Steve was no doubt cradling in his cup. Steve’s bedding was folded neatly in a pile on the coffee table, but the man himself was still wearing the sweatpants and the worn, but very soft looking t-shirt he’d trotted in from the bathroom wearing before going to bed last night. Steve’s feet were bare and rested on the coffee table. The two of them were chatting in quiet voices, and Danny had no doubt that they were trying not to wake him. Danny couldn’t help his heart warming a little at the sight. 

Danny smiled to himself. It wasn’t a half bad sight to wake up to. He daughter happily looking at the TV, and a still sleep rumbled Steve McGarrett tucked in the opposite end of the sofa, putting up a good front of listening to Grace explaining the show to him. “G’morning,” Danny’s voice was rough, “that coffee smells great.” 

“Danno, you’re awake!” Grace turned to look at him, “Steve said we should let you sleep. Breakfast is ending in 45 mins, but Steve brought you a up a danish and some fruit, so you don’t have to hurry.” 

“Good morning,” Steve started, “you looked like you could use the sleep. I woke early, so did Grace. She said, she was hungry, so we went down to get some food. I hope that is okay. I even left a note on her pillow, but you were still asleep, when we got back…”

“It’s fine,” Danny broke in. “Thank you for feeding my daughter. You could have woken me, but I do like my sleep.” 

Steve just smiled and nodded towards the coffee maker. “Coffee is still fresh.” 

“Thanks.” Danny replied and got up. His knee ached, but no worse than he was used to. 

Steve spotted Danny limping slightly as soon as he got up, “You alright, Danny?” 

“Yeah, just my knee, old baseball injury.” Danny made his way to the bathroom. 

——

Steve informed Danny that he’d received an email from the Airline, the plane was further delayed until 7pm, so they wouldn’t have to leave until at least 5 this afternoon. A quick check of his own phone, confirmed that Danny’d gotten the same email. 

Danny sat down to eat his breakfast and get a complete recap of the cartoons from Grace, while Steve decided to take a shower. Grace had mentioned the Christmas fair in town that Marie had talked to them about over breakfast. Danny figured they had nothing else to do, while waiting for the plane. And Grace’s puppy eyes had proved too steep of a challenge even for a former SEAL, when Steve had announced his plans to just stay in their room, while the two others went exploring. 

Grace was playing a game on Danny’s tablet. Danny was checking his phone and slowing feeling the effects of the coffee, when the bathroom door opened. Danny looked up and had to physically stop himself before he said something stupid. A shirtless and tattooed, Danny noticed, Steve McGarrett walked out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel, grabbed his small suitcase, and said, “I’ll just be a minute and then the bathroom is all yours.” Danny swallowed and admitted to himself that despite how annoying, he still thought Steve was, the man was turning out to be a pretty decent guy. And even the straightest man on the planet could see how attractive McGarrett was especially in all his tattooed half naked glory. 

Danny had finished a quick shower, his knee was starting to feel like it could actually bend, like it was supposed to, and he felt ready to face the day. Grace was practically bouncing up and down and was spotting a slightly askew and rather loose ponytail. Upon further investigation, Danny had discovered that it was the result of Grace asking Steve to do her ponytail, while Danny was in the shower. She had refused Danny’s offer of fixing it, saying Steve had done his best. Apparently his daughter had adopted Steve McGarrett like most kids adopted a stray kitten. 

“Well hello, you three, and good morning to you, Danny.” Marie spoke, while her and Joe came to a halt. They had been dancing together in the entrance hallway. 

“Good morning.” Danny smiled politely, “You looked like you were having fun.”

“We’re practicing for the Christmas ball,” Joe smiled. 

“Christmas ball?” Steve asked. 

“Yes, the 101st Charles Peak Christmas ball is tonight. Didn’t you see the banners, when you drove in last night?” Marie looked from Steve to Danny. 

Danny shrugged, and Steve answered, “We must have missed it.” 

“Oh, it’s a tradition in town. And this year we hope to win first place in the dance competition. We’ve come in second six years in a row, so seventh time should be the charm.” Joe huffed out a laugh. “You’re going out, it looks like?” 

“We’re going to see the fair,” Grace said, “And Danno is going to teach me how to win at all the games.” 

“Sounds like fun,” Marie smiled at them. 

Danny took Grace’s hand. “We should get a move on. You two couldn’t point us in the direction a good place to find some lunch, could you?” 

“Dinky’s. Best diner in town.” Marie and Joe answered as one. 

——

“So … you’re going to teach Grace how to win at the games?” Steve asked looking at Danny. 

Danny thought he heard an edge of skepticism in Steve’s voice. “I’ll have you know that I’m great at these games. When I was growing up, my Hebrew school had a holiday fair every year. And at home, we had an entire closet filled with the cheap stuffed animals, we’d won at the fairs.” Danny walked ahead, Grace skipping along with him. 

“Danno, how about that one?” Grace stopped and pointed to a teddy bear as big as herself. The game was “Milk Bottle Bash”. 

Danny dug out a few dollars and said, “let me have a go,” to the operator. Steve looked skeptical, but on the first try Danny knocked over two bottles, and Grace cheered. 

“Me too,” Steve said and handed over the money, accepted his ammunition, and proceed to first miss entirely, and then barely knocking over the top bottle. At Danny’s laugh, Steve replied, “This stuff is rigged, it’s impossible to knock over all three at once.” And just as he finished that statement, Danny let lose a ball, knocking over all three bottles. Danny pumped his fist and gladly accepted the too big teddy bear, handing it over to his daughter with a bow and a “my lady.” 

Steve shook his head and accepted the consolation prize that the he was handed, a stuffed grey seal teddy. He chuckled and could hear Danny full on laughing, while Grace asked, “What’s so funny, Danno?” 

Steve answered, before Danny could, “I really don’t know, Grace-face.” Grace giggled.

Danny shook his head, and wondered to himself, when exactly his daughter had accepted that nickname from the other man. 

They walked around a bit more. Danny allowing Grace to pick a few more games, but as they reached the end of the small fair, he reminded her of the deal they’d first made, when she was still very little. She’d get to pick one prize, no matter the size, and the rest she could offer to other children, who hadn’t won anything, or they’d donate them to the Red Cross or any other children’s charity they could find. Grace choose a snow globe of Charles Peak. Two teddy bears, a rabbit and an actual bear, went to two twins, who’d been crying, when their dad hadn’t won a game. The giant teddy bear from the first game was still tucked under Danny’s arm with the expressed orders from Grace that it was for Mrs. Marie back at the Inn. Danny of course was already planning to let the woman know that she was free to donate it to somewhere as soon as they left this afternoon. 

—— 

Danny sat next to Grace in the diner booth, while Steve was opposite him, the grey stuffed seal on the table and the big teddy bear next to him. “You know, McGarrett, my date is much more adorable than yours?” Danny said nodding from Grace to the teddy bear. Grace giggled next to him. Steve shook his head, but didn’t reply, before their waitress dropped three plates pilled high with pancakes in front of them. 

Steve looked at Danny and Grace, watching them pour an ungodly amount of syrup on their pancakes. “You two want some pancakes with your syrup?” He laughed. 

“Pancakes are best drowned in syrup.” Grace replied around a mouthful. 

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, Monkey,” Danny reminded her and smiled, “but you are absolutely right, Gracie.” 

Steve took a bite and all but moaned at the taste, making Danny look up at him. “Good?” 

“I forgot how good this is.” Steve pointed his fork at his plate. 

“You haven’t had pancakes in a long time?” Grace asked him, with all the seriousness of a young child. 

“I’m kind of on a no sugar, no fat, no carbs diet.” Steve said shrugging a little, “I don’t exactly burn as many calories working with Five-0 as I did in the Navy.” 

Grace wrinkled her nose, and Danny replied, “Come on, man. I’m not saying we should exist on carbs, fat and sugar, but once in a while…” Danny reached over and poured syrup over Steve’s pancakes as he finished his sentence, “live a little. Enjoy life.”

Steve’s eyebrows shot up, and Grace giggled at his face. Steve shrugged and took a new bite. “It’s good,” he agreed. When the waitress passed by them, Steve put out his hand to stop her, grinned at Danny, and asked her, “Can we have three hot chocolates?” 

“With marshmallows,” Grace chimed in with a big smile. Danny shook his head, mentally preparing for a seven year old on a sugar high. 

They finished their food and drinks and was about to settle up, when Marie popped in through the door. “Hi there! I thought I’d find you here.” She came up to their table and Danny motioned for her to sit down. “No thanks, honey. I was in town picking up some stuff for last minute Christmas cookies, and I thought that maybe your little girl here would like to help me. If it’s alright with you of course?” She said looking at both Danny and Grace. 

“Please, Danno, can I?” Grace looked up at him bouncing in her seat. 

“Well, Marie, I’ll give you fair warning. She’ll probably be bouncing off the walls on a sugar high in about ten minutes.” Danny smiled, and accepted Grace’s thank you hug as she crawled over him to get out of the booth and join Marie. 

“I’m sure, we’ll manage.” Marie smiled, and she reminded Danny a bit of his own mother, when he was a young kid. 

Danny dug around his wallet for a minute, then handed her one of his HPD business cards, “Here, it has my cell number in case you need it.”

Marie accepted the card and took the hand that Grace was already holding out for her to take. Grace stopped before they could start walking. She let go of Maria and held out her hands at Steve looking at the big teddy bear. Steve obliged, and Grace proudly handed over the teddy bear to Marie, who smiling accepted. 

Danny watched his daughter walk out the door and looked at Steve. “So, still wanna hang out with grumpy old me, now that my adorable daughter is not around?”

Steve grinning and shook his head. “Come along, Grumpy.” 

—— 

Steve and Danny was walking down the street, they had decided to simply stroll about the city for a while. 

“So, Hebrew school? But you celebrate Christmas?” Steve bumped Danny’s shoulder. 

Danny replied with a shrug, “Mom is Jewish. Dad was raised Catholic. So best of both worlds, I guess.” 

“Nine day’s of presents?” Steve grinned. 

“It’s not like that,” Danny hesitated and then said, “Okay, maybe it is.” They both laughed and continued their walk. 

Steve thought that Danny was actually pretty easy to talk to. They talked about Hawaii and commiserated about work. Danny talked about how his marriage to Rachel dissolving had broken him for a while. He told Steve, how he had hated Hawaii, but how that had changed through his friendship with Kono and seeing Grace enjoying her new life. Steve was surprised to realize that the young surfer Kono Kalakaua, he remembered yelling from the stands at her cousin's games, when Steve attended Chin Ho Kelly’s football games to study his technique, was the same Kono Kalakaua, who was now Danny’s partner at HPD. Danny talked a bit about those first weeks working with her and ended it by telling a story about picking up Kono from the beach a Saturday morning to have breakfast with him and Grace, and then seeing her decking a male tourist in the face for dropping in on her wave. Steve had no trouble believing that Kalakaua had a mean right swing.

Steve, in turn, spoke about growing up in Hawaii, playing football. He spoke a little about his career with the SEAls, and about Freddie Hart and being the godfather to Freddie’s young daughter. He told Danny, how the two of them had gone through thick and thin in the SEALs, and how he’d felt very lost for a while after Freddie was injured on their last mission together. It had been one of the contributing reasons that Steve had decided to retire to civilian life. His best friend almost dying, and having had one too many close calls himself, had made Steve realize that perhaps he wasn’t as invincible as he had once thought. 

“Freddie was my first hire as the leader of Five-0. I hired him the day he walked out of the hospital for the last time,” Steve said smiling at the memory. “Although, Freddie still maintains that he wasn’t hired as much as drafted. But believe me, as much as he complains, he wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

Danny laughed. “Somehow, I have no trouble believing Freddie’s account of the events.” 

Steve shook his head. “Well, you’d probably like Freddie. He was raised in the North East as well. He used to complain about the heat in Coronado, and 15 years into knowing me, he still gives me shit about pineapple on pizza.” 

“Sounds like a sensible man,” Danny said seriously, but then grinned. He stopped in front of the small coffee cart they were passing. “Coffee?” 

They bought their coffees and sat down on a bench close by. They sat there in the cold for a while just people watching. “I have missed this,” Danny said smiling as his breath came out in a fog, “a cold, snowy Christmas.” 

“I hadn’t seen snow before I went to Annapolis,” Steve said and huffed a laugh as he continued. “Almost everyone looked at me, like I just told them I was from Mars, when I said, I’d never seen snowfall outside of TV and movies.”

Danny looked at him. “Last year was my first Christmas after I moved to Hawaii, and I didn’t have the money to go home. I’d only moved there a few months prior, so I decided to stay over the holidays and save up whatever I could. Grace was in England with her mom, so I missed her, and I missed my family, but at least I could FaceTime on Christmas morning. But most of all, I missed the cold. Celebrating in 70 degrees is weird, but even I can admit that it has its perks not having to bundle up in several layers just to go on a beer run.” 

“It must have been strange not having your daughter there,” Steve said. 

Danny sighed, “Yes, well, that is what happens when you divorce and you have kids. For a long time things weren’t pretty between me and Rachel after the divorce. Especially not when she told me she was moving to Hawaii. It took time, but we worked it out. We decided that the only one who lost, when we argued even more than we did while we were married, was Grace. Rachel and I will never be even close to what we once were, but we are as close to friends as we’ll ever be again.” 

“I’m sorry, but I’m glad you worked it out,” Steve said. And Danny noticed that the stupidly honest look Steve had had on his face last night was back, and Danny wasn’t entirely sure, how he felt about that. 

“You know, I should have know we’d crash and burn,” Danny laughed a little, “I met Rachel, when she rear-ended my car at work. She wasn’t used to driving on the right side of the road. I offered her driving lessons instead of a ticket.” 

Steve laughed and asked, “What happen then?”

“She woke up a few years later in a two bedroom in Weehawken married to a cop.” Danny stated. 

“Doesn’t sound that bad.” Steve said and the silence resumed. 

——

“You know,” Steve began as they were walking back to the hotel. They’d have to leave in a few hours if they were going to catch their plane. “If you ever find yourself missing the East Coast too much in Honolulu. There is this great bar that Freddie sometimes drags me to after work…. O’Ruddy’s”

“O’Ruddy’s,” Danny said at the same time, and laughed along with Steve. “Yeah, I know. I go there as well. I dragged Kono there after work once. She hated it, claimed they had no decent music. And yet, I was being dragged back there the next week, because it was, and I quote, ‘so bad it’s good’.” 

“Maybe we’ll run in to each other in Honolulu, grab a drink?” said Steve, “That is if we ever make it back to O’ahu.” 

“Maybe,” Danny agreed. 

Steve suddenly stopped, and motioned to a store front next to them. “I’m just going to stop in there quick.” 

“I’ll go with,” Danny said and then noticed the sign. It was a jewelry store.

——

“Hello, looking for anything special?” Asked a cheery woman behind the counter. 

“I’ve been told that I’ll know it, when I see it,” Steve replied with a small smile. 

“Well,” The woman smiled, “I just got this one in this morning. It’s almost a 100 years old.” She said and pointed at what was clearly an engagement ring in the showcase. 

Even Danny could admit the ring was gorgeous and was about to say so, when Steve spoke, “Yeah, that might be something Cath would like.” 

Danny looked at Steve in surprise. “I can’t believe you’re actually considering marrying this woman, the woman you’ve fought with every single time you’ve talked to her while we’ve been here. The same one you see barely once a month.” Danny said, before he could stop himself.   
  
Steve looked up a little stunned. “I can see how you’d think that, since Cath and I have had a few misunderstandings in the last 24 hours. The only 24 hours that you also happen to have known me. That is 24 hours out over 5 years of dating and knowing each other a lot longer. You don’t just throw away a long term relationship, because of a few arguments.”

“I know that. Trust me, I know that… from my own failed marriage.” Danny sighed to himself. “You know, I’m just going to go back to the Inn to pack. Good luck with the ring shopping.” 

Danny opened the door to the store and was just about to walk out, when a weather report chimed on the store’s TV. 

_“The storm that yesterday grounded over 40 flights heading to within the Eastern United States strikes again…”_

At the same time both of their phones chimed with a new notification from the Airline. Their plane was cancelled - again. It looked like they would be celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning in Charles Peak. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously guys, your comments and kudos are making me smile like a lunatic and I kinda want to jump up and down (my downstairs neighbour might not like that so much, though), so thank you! 
> 
> Here's another update. :D After this there'll be two, probably slightly shorter, chapters to go. Enjoy!

“Kono, this the worst idea I ever got. I should have just stayed in Hawaii. Why didn’t you tell me this was a bad idea? Aren’t you the one, who claims she can read the weather?” Danny sat on the bed and looked at his phone, Kono’s face on the screen looking straight at him from 3000 miles away. Danny could hear the noise around her, no doubt from the extended Kelly-Kalakaua clan that always congregated at some relative’s home over the holidays. 

“Brah! First of all, I told you this was stupid, when you woke me up at the ass-crack of dawn to drive you to the airport. Two, reading waves and reading snow storms are not the same thing.” Kono ended by raising the longboard in her hand in salute.

Danny and Steve had quietly made their way back to the hotel. Steve had headed straight to their room, while Danny had stopped by Marie’s kitchen and found his daughter covered in flour with a bright smile on her face. He left her to continue the fun. Now, the two men were sitting in opposite ends of the room, Steve on his tablet, video calling someone by the looks of it. Danny himself had barely made it through the door, before he’d called Kono not even bothering to calculate the time difference. 

“Isn’t it a bit early in Honolulu for beer, Kalakaua?” Danny grinned. 

Kono didn’t miss a beat. “It’s Christmas, so sip it, Williams. You’re just jealous that I have a beer in my hand, and you don’t.” 

Danny remained silent for a while. 

“So, how is my surf prodigy doing? Why am not looking at her sweet face instead of your ugly mug?” Kono asked grinning. 

“She is baking with the nice woman, who runs this joint. Last time I saw her, she was covered in flour and icing with a big smile on her face. I raised that kid well. She is taking this whole thing like an adventure, and I’m fairly certain she has already adopted Steve aka Mister Stubborn.” Danny shook his head and rubbed a hand over his face. Kono had already been updated on the situation and she had instantly proclaimed that she had to meet the guy, who dared to contradict Danny Williams, the department’s hot head. 

——

Steve was looking over at Danny, when Freddie spoke, bringing Steve out of his musings, “Hey buddy, what’s so interesting over there?” 

“My roommate,” Steve joked. “Remember I texted you about how I got a room a few towns over. Well, I met this hot head of a guy and his daughter on the plane. And go figure, it turns out, he is a detective with HPD on his way to spend the holidays with family in New Jersey. He offered to share their room with me. I’m still not sure whether accepting it was such a great idea or not.”

“Why? He ugly?” Freddie winked. ”Does he snore? Is the kid annoying?” Freddie fired off the questions in the way that only Freddie could. 

“Shut up, Hart,” Steve replied. “No, he isn’t ugly, nor does he snore, well not a lot anyway. And the kid, Grace, is kind of adorable.” 

“So, you call Cath yet with the news?” Freddie asked. 

“Yeah,” Steve rubbed his temples. “She wasn’t exactly happy.” 

Freddie looked sympathetic at least. “You know, maybe having some time to yourself isn’t such a bad thing. Gives a person time to think. ” 

“What are you talking about, Freddie?”

“Well…” Freddie hesitated before continuing, “Isn’t it strange, how it’s been so impossible for you to find the perfect ring for Catherine?” 

Steve remained silent. 

——

Night had fallen over Charles Peak. Grace was freshly showered and no longer covered in baking ingredients. Maria and Joe had invited all three of them to join them for dinner. Steve and Danny hadn’t said much to each other, but Grace had been oblivious to the tension and chatting excitedly about all the cookies they had baked, and how excited she was to bring some for her grandparents tomorrow. 

With dinner done, they had all retreated to their room. Danny sitting on the bed leafing through his book. Grace was sprawled on the floor with some worn out colouring book she had scrounged up somewhere and listening to music on her headphones. Steve sat quietly on the sofa swiping through files on his tablet. Danny figured he was looking through crime scene reports, because Danny recognized the look on the other man’s face. 

“Steve,” Danny hesitated, and the other man looked up, “I’m sorry. I know your relationship is none of my business.” 

Steve nodded, and before he could say anything a knock sounded at the door.

“Knock knock!” Marie poked her head in. “It’s Christmas Eve,” she said and walked in to the room followed by her husband. “Don’t tell me you’re staying in here all night.” 

Grace looked up. Danny and Steve looked at each other as if waiting for the other person to say something. 

“Come with us to the Christmas ball.” Joe said. 

“I don’t know…” Steve began. 

Grace was quicker, “Please, Danno, can we? It sounds like fun.” 

Danny hesitated, he didn’t feel like going to a Christmas party with a bunch of strangers, when he’d much rather be drinking whiskey in his parents’ living room right now, while watching Grace and the other children preparing the room for Santa’s arrival. “Grace, I don’t…” 

Grace broke in again, “Pleeeease, Danno.” 

Danny gave in, “Okay, then. I guess we’re going.” 

Marie looked over at Steve, “And you, Steve?” 

“Maybe.” Steve smiled. A smile that Danny was sure had left many a heart broken. 

—— 

“Let’s see you then.” Danny said holding Grace’s hand and twirling her around. She was wearing the red dress Rachel had bought her for Christmas, and in Danny’s opinion she was beautiful. Danny had changed in their room while Steve finished up in the bathroom. Steve had still wavered about going, when Danny went to shave, but as he was closing the door, he could already hear his daughter trying to convince the other man. Danny grinned as he thought that she already had Steve as wrapped around her little finger as she had her dad. 

When Danny had walked out, Steve had been holding a change of clothes and had entered the bathroom saying, “Your kid should be an interrogator or something. She’d could probably even convince my drill sergeant to dance, and that man would make you bear crawl five miles just for sounding a little too awake in the morning.” Grace just laughed and accepted a high five from her dad. 

Danny finished tying his tie and turned around, when he heard the door to the bathroom open. Danny had been happy to see that the dark green suit, he’d planned on wearing for Christmas dinner, wasn’t too wrinkled, neither was the black shirt and black silk tie, he’d paired it with. Standing next to Grace in her red dress, they looked rather festive. 

“Looking good, Danno.” Steve smiled and hoped Danny hadn’t heard that little hitch in his voice, when he’d looked over at the blonde man. 

“What’d I tell you about that? She’s the only one who gets to call me Danno,” Danny pointed at Grace. “But you clean up nice, McGarrett.” He looked Steve up and down. The man looked great in dark blue slacks, a tight fitted cream coloured button up shirt and a dark blue fitted bomber jacket. 

“It’s okay, Danno. Steve can call you that too.” Grace said with a bright smile. 

“Is that right?” Danno asked her with a wry smile. She nodded at both of them sincerely, and Steve laughed. 

Grace grabbed both their hands and jumped up and down. “Come on, let’s go.” 

——

As the three of them walked up the stairs to the barn with the banner proclaiming it as the location of the 101st Charles Peak Christmas Dance, they could hear the music spilling out. 

“Let me take your coats,” said a man’s voice. The man handed over two wardrobe numbers to Danny and one to Steve in exchange for the coats. 

Grace looked up at Danny pointing across the room, “Look Danno, it’s Mrs. Marie and Mr. Joe. Can I go say hi?” 

“Sure, sweetheart, they’ll be glad to see that we’re here.” Danny bent down and corrected her pig tails. “You go have fun, Monkey, but stay inside, and make sure I know where you are, if you leave the room, okay?”

“Yes, Danno. You have fun too.” Grace said and ran off with a quick hug for Danny and a smile in Steve’s direction. 

The band on stage started a new song, a country inspired remix of “Jingle Bells”. It made Danny groan, loudly, “Oh dear god, and I thought the music Kono insists on playing in the car, when I won’t let her drive, was bad.” 

“It’s not that bad,” Steve laughed at little and looked around. “At least it goes with the theme, I guess. I’ve heard worse. It’s festive, cheer up a little, you Grinch. I like it.” 

Danny shook his head not even dignifying that Grinch comment with a reply. “Your brain must be a miserable place. I need a drink.” Danny looked around and spotted the drinks table. 

The two men stood in silence for a while, when Grace came bounding over grabbing her father’s hand, “Come dance, Danno.” Danny indulged his daughter. Leaving Steve watching the two of them. 

Steve stood up straight and watched Grace dancing with Danny. They looked like they were having fun. To Steve, Danny seemed like the kind of father everyone wished they’d had, and Grace was a great kid. She was well behaved and seemed like a bright child. Steve had been surprised at how easy, she’d started talking to him, first in the cab and then this morning, when she woke up and saw him sitting on the couch already awake. The kid had crawled out of bed and planted herself on the other end of the couch and told him she was hungry. Danny had looked so tired the night before. Steve guessed he wasn't as used to the jet lag as him. Steve didn’t want to wake him, so he’d left a note and hoped that Danny wouldn’t be angry that Steve had taken Grace down to breakfast by himself. Grace had said it’d be fine, but also confided in him that the secret to turning Danny from grumpy to happy in the morning was coffee and any unhealthy breakfast food you could find. Steve had laughed and grabbed a danish and a bowl of fruit and made sure to start a pot of coffee as soon as they got back to the room and the still sleeping Danny. 

Freddie’s comment about Catherine was still rattling around Steve’s brain. Was he right? What would Steve do, if she said no? Or if she said yes, but still wouldn’t want to come with him to Hawaii? It had been two years of going back and forth on airplanes, but Steve loved the life he’d made in Hawaii. He was so happy to have come home to the Islands, working with his team, and last but not least reconnecting with his father. He wasn’t sure, he’d ever want to leave O’ahu and live anywhere else ever again. Steve sighed, and then there was Danny and Grace. Steve had butted heads with the other man since they met, but there was something about the way Steve felt himself acting around the other man. He didn’t feel like he had to walk on egg shells around Danny, and there was no doubt in Steve’s mind that Danny was a great guy, if a bit opinionated. Steve had already decided that he would probably keep in touch with those two when they got back to the Islands, he just wasn’t sure how. 

Steve was brought out of his musings, when a small hand grabbed his. Steve looked down at Grace, who said in a matter of fact voice, “Come on, Steve, there is someone taking pictures. You need to take one with us, so we can remember celebrating Christmas together.” 

Steve looked to Danny, who just shook his head and said, “Why not, this Christmas is already crazy, might as well commemorate it.” Grace dragged both of them by the hand toward the guy with the camera. Danny scribbled his email for the guy to send him the picture, and after the picture taking was done, Steve scribbled his own email right next to Danny’s, while the other man’s head was turned. 

——

Grace had grabbed a drink and had run back to the group of children, she’d met earlier. Danny and Steve was standing side by side overlooking the dance floor, when a voice came over the microphone. 

_“Alright everybody, time for the annual dance competition, so grab your partner and make your way to the dance floor. Our referees will walk around poking people on the shoulders, when they should leave the floor, until only one couple remains.”_

Danny smiled and looked around for Marie and Joe, who was already on the floor, when a woman spoke next to him. It was the waitress from the diner. “You two not going to dance?” She pointed to both of them. 

“Oh no, we’re not…” Steve began. 

The woman didn’t let him finish. “You know, I meet a lot of couples at work, and I can always tell the ones who’ll stay together. It’s in the eyes.” The woman sent them a look and stepped in between them smiling. She put a hand on each of their shoulders and pushed them toward the dance floor. “So, on you go, gentlemen.” 

Steve looked at Danny, who shrugged and nodded toward the dance floor. 

“I have to warn you, I have two left feet.” Steve said looking down at his feet as if validating that statement. 

“I’ve been stepped on before,” Danny said. 

When Steve turned but then hesitated standing in front of the other man, Danny spoke quietly, “Do you have issues dancing with another guy?”

“No!” Steve answered before Danny even finished asking the question. 

“Well, I know you said you didn’t mind last night. But I also know that you come from a world that isn’t exactly welcoming to people of the less than straight persuasion. And even then there is a big difference between being okay with seeing two men dancing together and dancing with another guy yourself.” Danny spoke meeting Steve’s gaze head on. 

Steve spoke mimicking Danny’s low voice, “That’s got nothing to do with it. Really. I’m just not a great dancer.” Steve then smiled and spoke as he reached for Danny’s hand and waist. “But in case my statement last night was too convoluted, let me put it like this. I like dancing with women and men both.” Steve pulled the other man in and gave him a small wink. 

Neither man noticed Grace standing to the side smiling brightly. 

——

Despite Steve’s best efforts, they didn’t last long on the dance floor, before they were picked off. But at least they had both laughed their way through it. They had found a table and sat down to watch the rest of the competition. Grace joined them and crawled up to sit on her father’s lap. It was getting a little late, and they’d all had a long day, so Danny wasn’t surprised, when Grace starting nodding off. He shifted her around, so she could lean her head on his shoulder and still watch as Marie and Joe was winning the competition. He even caught Steve looking at him and Grace with a fond look on his face. Danny didn’t say anything. 

“Aww, looks like she’s had a long day.” Marie came up, smiling brightly, followed by her husband waving about a trophy. She ran a hand over Grace’s hair. 

“Seventh time’s the charm, didn’t I tell ya?” Joe said smiling. 

“Congratulations!” Steve and Danny said at the same time.

Marie looked down at the half asleep girl again. “We’re headed back home. We could bring Grace with us, if you two want to stay a little longer.” Steve and Danny looked at each other and nodded, silently agreeing. Steve got up, and Danny noticed he was moving towards the drinks table. 

“That okay with you, Monkey?” Danny asked, moving a lock of hair out of his daughter’s face. 

“Can I watch cartoons on the sofa until you get back?” She asked. 

“Alright, but only if you promise your old man that you’ll brush your teeth first.” Danny said. 

Grace nodded. She left with Marie and Joe after promising she would find them, so they could call him, if she needed Danny to come back. 

Steve came back to the table, brandishing two beers. Danny accepted the drink. 

“You got a great kid, you know?” Steve said looking at the door that Grace had just walked out of. 

Danny smiled, “Of course, I know. But thank you. Despite everything, she is the one thing Rachel and I didn’t manage to screw up.” 

They sat for a while talking about Christmas traditions, stupid things they did as children, and favourite places to eat back home, which made both men laugh, when they mutually agreed that Kamekona’s shrimp truck had the best shrimp on the Island. 

Steve finished his drink and said, “Want to go get some air?” 

——

Both men collected their coats and made it just outside the door, where they stood looking out at the town, the Christmas lights reflecting off the snow giving the entire city a soft glow. 

Danny looked over at Steve and asked, “How do you know that Cath is the one, and that now is the time?”

“How did you know that Rachel was the one? Or that you wanted to move in with Brian?” Steve responded.

Danny huffed out a small laugh. “Well, clearly she wasn’t, or I wouldn’t have a failed marriage behind me. And don’t even get me started on Brian. So, really, I want to know. Why do you feel like now, is when you should propose to Catherine?”  
  
Steve looked straight ahead. “Truth is, I don’t know. But we’ve known each other for years, we’re a part of each other’s lives, we know each other’s families and friends. And she was patient with me when I put being a SEAL over being her boyfriend. And she didn’t stop me, when I took the job with Five-0, she waited.”

“Sounds simple enough, maybe too simple.” Danny still looked up at Steve.

“It’s what we do in society, isn’t it?” Steve turned his head to look at Danny. “We choose a partner and we commit. We do the right thing.”

“True,” Danny began, “but if anyone was going to propose to me… not that that seems like it’ll happen any time soon. I’d want it to be because they were ecstatic and literally bursting with joy … not because they thought it was the right thing to do.”

Steve shook his head. “Life isn’t like that, it’s not a fairytale, it’s not perfect, it’s not….” He trailed off.

“Cancelled flights, small town Christmas, and a barn decorated with twinkly lights.” Danny decided to finish the sentence and gestured around him, as he spoke.

Steve sighed. “All I’m saying is that the day to day isn’t like that. Eventually the magic wears off.”  
  
“I used to think that. It was what I told myself when things started getting tough with Rachel.” Danny answered. ”And sure everyday life isn’t a dance on roses, and I wouldn’t expect my partner or myself to always be bursting with joy in daily life. But if I’m ever going to consider spending my life with someone again, I wouldn’t want that decision to be based in obligation. But maybe that’s just me, maybe that’s just a fairytale.” Danny sighed.   
  
Steve looked Danny right in the eye. “Well Danny, I think, everyone deserves a fairytale.” 

They stood overlooking the town and the lights in silence, again. Danny looked over at Steve after a while and said, “You know, it’s only been a few days, but I can already feel myself becoming a person, I haven’t been in a long time. Maybe, I’ve been too busy trying to be Brian’s boyfriend that I forgot, how to be myself.” Danny smiled up at Steve and continued, “I know this is kind of a strange Christmas, and not what either one of us expected, but at least there’s snow and nice people…. and you’re not the worst person on the planet to spend a Christmas Eve with, I suppose.”

Steve’s sincere look was back and he said, “I can’t imagine you changing for anyone.” Steve looked back the town again, but turned back to look at Danny after a beat. “And thank you, Danny. We’ve butted heads since we met, but I’m glad I met you and Grace. It’s definitely been a strange Christmas, but it’s also been a Christmas I won't forget anytime soon.” 

“Thanks,” Danny said and turned so Steve and him were standing face to face. 

“Merry Christmas, Danny.” Steve started to lean in, but broke off at the last minute. He gave Danny a tight hug, rather than the kiss Danny had thought the other man was moving in for. Danny hugged him back and said, “Merry Christmas, Steve,” into the other man’s shoulder. 

——

The two men arrived at the Inn after walking back in silence. They both came to a halt outside the front door. “You coming in?” Danny gestured to the door. 

“I think, I’ll stay out here for a while,” Steve said looking around. 

Danny opened the door and said, “Alright, see you back in the room,” before walking in.

Steve gathered his coat a little tighter around him and sat down on one of the chairs on the porch. He could feel the frost biting at his exposed skin, but he needed a little bit of quiet to gather his thoughts. He’d almost kissed Danny. He’d stopped, because Catherine had popped in to his head, and he would never do that to her. And he also didn’t want to do something to hurt Danny or his daughter, so he stopped himself from doing something stupid. At least that’s what he was trying to convince himself of. 

“You looked like you were having fun tonight?” Joe said as he sat down in the chair next to Steve.

Steve was a little shocked that the older man had managed to come up to him without Steve noticing. Maybe Freddie was right, when he said civilian life was finally making him shed his state of constant vigilance that had been instilled in him during his training. 

“Maybe a bit too much fun,” Steve said looking over at the other man. 

Joe replied with a twinkle in his eye. “Is there such a thing?”

Steve smiled but then sighed. “There is if you have girlfriend, who’s been waiting for you for years, and you’re thinking about proposing to her.”

“Long distance relationships seem like a lot of work.” Joe said.

Steve agreed, “Yeah, sometimes it feels like work. And after tonight….”

Joe nodded at the door Danny had walked through minutes ago. “He’s got you wondering.”  
  
“It’s not like it’s something I didn’t think about before,” Steve said, “Danny… He’s impulsive. Argumentative. Loud. He doesn’t care what other people think, he does what he wants.”   
  
Joe grinned. “And you like it.”  
  
“That’s what I’m afraid of. Usually, I avoid confrontations in my relationship, but with him… it feels like I can speak my mind, when I need to, and it feels good.” Steve said, “But Cath and I have been together so long, and I’ve always assumed she’d be a part of my future.”  
  
Joe looked Steve in the eye and then said, “Not that you asked for my advice, but you’re going to get it anyway… Steve, loyalty is honourable. But it’s not the same thing as faith. It is not the same thing as love.”

Steve was quiet. And Joe continued, “Let me tell you how Marie and I ended up here in Charles Peak.”

——

Danny walked in and saw Marie standing behind the counter. It looked like she was closing out the till for the night. When she heard the bell jingle above the door announcing Danny’s entrance, she looked up and said, “Grace is safely in your room. She brushed her teeth and by now she’s probably fast asleep on the sofa. You got a great kid there, Danny.”  
  
“Yeah, I know. She’s the light of my life.” Danny said and gave Maria a smile. “Thank you, Marie, for helping her have a fun day. You must be an angel in disguise, you know that?” 

Marie laughed a little. She looked at Danny and saw his face fall, when he looked at the shadow of Steve’s head in the window. “You okay, dear?” She asked.  
  
Danny looked back at her, “Yes… No… I don’t know.” Danny wasn’t entirely sure what he felt at the moment. He sighed, leaned on the counter, and continued, “I mean, what the hell is wrong with me. I’m more upset about a guy I just met wanting to propose to his girlfriend. Than I am about being dumped by the guy I dated for two years. I always pick the wrong people…. and now I meet this guy, who my daughter has all but adopted, and who has practically been around the corner for two years. And now I’m afraid he’ll marry the wrong person.”  
  
Marie smiled and reached out putting her hand over Danny’s, “Let me tell you something, sweetheart. Life can surprise you.”

Danny smiled. “Well, that I already know, Marie.” 

“Shush, young man, and let me tell you a story about how Joe and I ended up in this tiny town.” Marie smiled at Danny and began talking, “Joe and I were coming up on the eve of our tenth anniversary. We worked 80 hour weeks in corporate jobs that we hated. I was starting to think our relationship was doomed, and Joe it turned out thought the same thing. Then I got this crazy idea to buy this place and move, as Joe says, to the middle of nowhere. He said yes. And I know, it wasn’t because he wanted to live in Montana. It was because, just like me, he missed what we used to have. And we both needed it back. And now, 20 years later, neither of us can imagine life any differently. And it only happened, because we took a chance. So, maybe, now is when you should take a chance, and tell him how you feel?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Slight) Disclaimer: Two of the major conversations in this chapter is taken almost word for word from the movie. They were a big part of the reason, why I fell in love with the movie and the idea of re-writing it as McDanno.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll be getting two chapters today/tonight. It's 2 am in Denmark, so as always please ignore any goblins appearing on your screens messing with my typing. ;)

Danny sighed and momentarily rested his head in his hands, while he was leaned over the counter.

“You’ll be alright, honey. And knowing how he feels now, will always be better than wondering what could have been?” Marie reached across and gave his shoulder a small squeeze.

Danny spoke into his hands, “I know.” He looked up and continued, “Thank you, Marie. You and Joe have been great. I’m not sure what Grace and I would have done, if Noel hadn’t told us about you guys. You’ve both gone above and beyond to make sure we felt welcome.”

“Noel has a tendency to know what people need, when they need it.” Marie smiled and walked around the counter, putting both her hands on Danny’s shoulders. “And you and Grace, and Steve as well, make it easy to welcome you in. Joe and I are just happy we could make Christmas a little special even though you three didn’t get to where you were planning to be.”

“Well, you’ve been great. I think, I’ll head up. Goodnight, and Merry Christmas, Marie.” Danny said and made to walk up the stairs.

“Merry Christmas, Danny.” The woman said after him.

——

Danny quietly made his way to the room. Grace was, as predicted, fast asleep on the sofa. Danny shed his coat, suit jacket and tie, and quietly made his way around the room. The thoughts were racing around in his head. How the hell do you tell a guy, who you’ve only met 24 hours ago, that not only do you have feelings for him, but you also truly believe, he shouldn’t ask the woman, he’s been with for years, to marry him? He picked up his daughter and carried her back to the bed, she barely stirred. Danny felt a familiar pang of sadness, when he thought about how fast his little girl was growing up. Soon, he wouldn’t be able to pick her up with the same ease, he did these days, and he constantly felt like he was missing parts of her life.

While Grace was moving around in her sleep, Danny sat on the edge of the bed. He ran a hand over her hair and continued his musings. Over these 24 hours, Danny had felt a lot of the anxiety about the break up with Brian leave his body, a lot more than he’d even realized, he’d been carrying around. He hadn’t been lying, when he told Steve he could already feel himself becoming his old self again. The last 24 hours may have started out as a nightmare, but it had been a while since he remembered having felt so carefree. He’d had fun, and for the first time in a long time he didn’t feel like he had to watch every word that came out of his mouth. He hadn’t even noticed how much he’d held back with Brian, simply because he didn’t want to have yet another argument with him about the difference between having an all out argument and expressing an opinion. Steve gave as good as he got. Unlike Brian, Steve didn’t back down just to make Danny shut up, and Danny liked it. Grace, it seemed, liked Steve too.

Grace was generally an easy-going kid, she got along great with other children and was well behaved around adults, but she’d never taken to another person the way she had with Steve. She’d been polite around Brian, but as he was sitting here in a hotel in Montana of all places, Danny couldn’t remember Grace ever taking Brian’s hand or asking him to do something with her and Danny. And the one time Brian had slipped and called him Danno, she’d told Brian in no uncertain terms that she was the only one, who used that name for her dad. But within 24 hours Steve managed to get the stamp of approval to use her nickname for Danny. Hindsight is 20/20 as they say, and Danny was left to wonder, how he hadn’t seen the signs, when they were there. He’d made up his mind, and Marie seemed like a smart woman, so maybe taking her advice to take a chance wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world. Danny got up and went to put the blanket Grace had wrapped herself in back on the couch for Steve. As he shook it out, the blanket caught on Steve’s bag on the coffee table and knocked it over. Danny crouched down to pick it up. A small, black, velvet jewelry case fell out and opened enough for Danny to see the contents. It was the ring from this afternoon. Steve must have bought it, before following Danny back to the hotel. Danny stared at the ring and sighed, he couldn’t help but feel like he’d just gotten a punch to the gut.

——

By the time Steve made his way back to the room, after he’d finished his talk with Joe and then wished him and his wife a Merry Christmas, both Danny and Grace were asleep. Steve had made up his mind before he’d walked through the door, he just wasn’t sure how to go about it. What he’d said to Joe was true, he liked the way he could speak his mind around Danny. He was doubting his decision to propose. He’d already been doubting it, when he’d dragged Freddie out to go ring shopping, but he figured everyone had doubts. It was a big decision after all. But in the last 24 hours, he’d had more fun with Danny and Grace, than he could remember having with Cath in a long time. He needed to talk to Danny. He needed to talk to Catherine face-to-face. And he had no idea how to do any of those things. But for now, it looked like he would have to wait until the morning to do any of those things.

Steve woke to quiet noises in the room. It had to be really early in the morning. He noticed a sliver of light coming in from the hallway through the half open door. Steve moved around quietly and raised himself up on an elbow. In the faint light he could see part of Danny’s silhouette moving through the door closing it behind him. Steve’s brain was still a little groggy with sleep, maybe the other man got a phone call, and went to take in the hallway to not wake Grace or Steve. He let himself sink back on to the couch and laid there for a while waiting for Danny to walk back in.

——

Danny carried his still sleeping daughter down the stairs to where their suitcase was already waiting. It was only a little after 5 in the morning, but Marie was already awake, if the noises from the kitchen were anything to go by. Danny poked his head in, speaking in a soft voice, “Good morning, Marie.”

Marie jumped a little, noticed the sleeping girl and almost whispered, “Is everything alright?”

“Yes, I just wanted to let you know that Grace and I are leaving, Steve is still asleep. I found two last minute plane tickets out earlier this morning. I’m hoping we might even make it in time for presents with the rest of the family.” Danny said and continued before Marie could answer, “Would it be alright for you to send me the bill, all my information is on my business card. I have a cab waiting outside, and I don’t want to miss the plane.”

  
“Of course, Danny.” Marie said, Danny could see she was holding back saying something, probably about Steve. “I understand. You and Grace have a safe flight, and don’t you be strangers. We’ve enjoyed having you here, and you’ll always be welcome.” She walked over and patted his arm. “You tell Gracie that we’ll miss her, okay?”

Danny reached out and gave the woman a one armed hug. “Thank you, Marie, I will. I promise, I’ll reach out once we are back home. Give my love to Joe.” Danny hefted his daughter more securely up on his hip and then walked out the door handing over the suitcase to the cab driver.

——

As the minutes passed, Steve noticed the quiet in the room, it was too quiet. He couldn’t hear Danny in the hallway and he couldn’t hear Grace breathing slowly in the bed. Steve turned on the lights as he got up. He looked to the bed. It was empty. Danny, Grace and their suitcase were gone. He looked around the room, and then he saw it. The ring box sat open on top of Steve’s bag on the table. The engagement ring, he now regretted buying, was glinting up at him. He ran a hand through his hair, but then he heard a faint jingle of the bell over the front door to the Inn. Steve rushed to the window only to see the tail lights of a cab pulling away from the building.

Steve stuck his bare feet into his boots, grabbed his jacket and ran out the door and down the stairs. Marie stood in the entrance to the kitchen looking at him with a sad yet surprised look on her face. “Did they leave?” Steve asked.

“Danny had a cab waiting for them. He said he found an earlier flight. I wasn’t sure, if you knew.” Marie answered.

Steve ran a hand through his short hair, messing it up even more. He grabbed the stair railing and sat down on the stairs. He didn’t know what to say.

Marie walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. “Come on, Steve. Joe will give you a ride to the airport. Maybe you can catch up to them, before they leave.”

Steve couldn’t help but smile up at her.

——

Joe’s car hadn’t even come to a proper stop before Steve vaulted out the car, slipping a little on the ice. “I’ll wait right out here!” Joe yelled after him.

Steve ran in to the airport and skidded to a stop. He saw Grace first, standing in line by security just a few meters away. It looked like she was arguing with her father. Just as Steve was about to walk towards them, Grace turned. She let go of her dad, who turned around in surprise, when the little girl yelled, “Steve,” and started running towards him. He met Danny’s gaze and reacted instinctively, putting an arm around her, when Grace’s small body collided with him and hugged him around the waist. “I didn't think we’d get to say goodbye to you.” Grace said, and Steve looked down at those big brown eyes that were looking up at him.

He looked right at Danny and then crouched down. “It’s okay, Grace. I’m here to make sure I say goodbye to you. Just let me have a word with your dad first, alright?” Grace nodded and moved back. She took the shoulder bag from her dad and sat down at one of the benches that Danny pointed her toward. Danny tried and failed to not smile a little as he looked at Steve, clearly still in his sweatpants and sleep tussled hair.

“So, you were just going to leave without saying goodbye.” Steve said, now standing in front of Danny.

Danny didn’t want to meet Steve’s gaze, but he did. “Sorry, Steve. We had to get this plane. I didn’t want to wake you.” Steve gave him a look, which told Danny that they both knew that line was bullshit. Danny held up a hand and continued, “At this rate, Grace and I might even make it in time for presents.”

“Okay, but Danny….” Steve began but was interrupted.

“You’ll make great husband, Steve. Catherine is a lucky woman, and I just hope she appreciates everything she is getting.” Danny said sincerely.

“Danny, I…” Steve wanted to tell Danny to stay, but he stopped himself. It looked like Danny had made up his mind. “Have a safe flight.”

“Thanks. You too, Steve.” Danny motioned for Grace and spoke to her, “Come say goodbye, Monkey, we gotta get a move on.”

Grace dropped the bag at Danny’s feet and launched herself at Steve, who picked her up and gave her a tight hug. “Merry Christmas, Grace. I hope you have fun with your grandparents and your family in New Jersey. And thank you for spending Christmas with me.”

Grace spoke into his shoulder, “You too, Steve. Will we see you back on O’ahu?” Steve looked over her shoulder at Danny, as he replied, “I hope so, Gracie.”

He put Grace back down and turned to Danny as he said, “Bye, Danno.” The shorter man smiled a weak smile, walked up to him, grabbed Steve’s shoulder and pulled him into a hug. “Bye, Steve, stay safe.” Danny whispered and placed a soft kiss on Steve’s cheek as he pulled away. It was so light that Steve wasn’t even sure it had actually happened.

Danny turned around, grabbed his bag and guided Grace back to security. Danny ignored the pit in his stomach as he walked away from a still sleep tussled Steve McGarrett

Neither of them saw Noel standing behind Steve shaking his head quietly with a sad look on his face.


	7. Chapter 7

Danny and Grace finally made it to New Jersey. Danny sat next to his dad in his parents’ living room with a cup of his mother’s coffee in his hand. The entire house bubbling with energy. They barely made it through the door before they were enveloped in hugs and every single adult relative in the house was fussing over Grace, telling her how much she’d grown. His mother had wrapped him in a tight hug and shoved him towards the couch. His dad had slapped him on the back and welcomed him home. It was close to noon, gifts had been unwrapped, thank you’s exchanged, and all the children, Grace included, were sprawled on the floor with their respective loots. Grace looked happy. 

And yet, even though Danny was in the middle of happiness and family, his mind kept drifting back to Charles Peak. He wondered, if Steve was with Catherine right now. As Grace looked at him and smiled, Danny forced himself to smile back and not think about that stupid grin Steve had given him last night, when they’d been dancing. 

Danny’s phone chimed. He picked it up thinking it was Kono, or some of his old Newark PD colleagues asking him go for a drink, while he was in town. He was wrong. He tapped on the email marked ‘christmas picture’ and three smiling faces stared up at him. It was the picture they’d taken last night. Danny stood in the middle holding Grace on his right hip. Steve had stood to his left a little away, but Grace had reached around her father and pulled Steve closer, making Steve put a hand on Danny’s shoulder. 

Danny swallowed. They looked pretty good, and Danny wasn’t sure, if what he was feeling in his stomach was joy at the memory or sadness at leaving Steve without telling him how he felt. He looked at his daughter and called, “Grace, come here for a moment. I just got the picture from last night.”

——

Steve was sitting in Cath’s kitchen just after noon. He hadn’t bothered to move his bags any further than the entrance. Cath was with her family, so Steve had let himself in and sent her a text to tell her he was here. She’d called and told him to come join her, but he told her that he wanted to talk to her, just the two of them. She didn’t sound too happy about that answer, but she’d be there in 45 minutes. He had a feeling that after the conversation, they were going to have, he would be on his way back to Honolulu as soon as he could find a plane. He cared about her, and he hated that he was going to hurt her. But watching Danny and Grace leave, having a few hours to think on the plane, and a phone call with Freddie later, he truly believed that him and Catherine would be better off going their own ways. 

Steve took out his phone and looked at the same picture that Danny had received. He smiled. Steve hadn’t entirely understood why people had kept assuming that Danny and Steve were a couple, not until he looked at the photo. They all looked happy, relaxed and at ease in each other’s company. Looking at the picture, he already missed the two of them. Steve had already decided that he’d look up Danny as soon as he got back to the Island. It wasn’t until Steve left the airport with Joe that he realized, he never even got the man’s phone number. But Steve figured, it couldn’t be that difficult to find Detective Danny Williams of HPD. But first, he had a difficult conversation to finish. 

——

“Cath. After all this, I need you to know. I never wanted to hurt you. I always thought you’d be right there with me, whenever I thought about my future. But…” Steve reached out and took Catherine’s hand, from where she was sitting next to him on the sofa, and continued, “things change. I can’t imagine my life outside of Hawaii again, and I know that you don’t want to move. Your entire life is here, mine isn’t, and I can’t ask you to do that, I won’t. And you shouldn’t have to. We tried Cath. We tried to make it work. We tried to figure things out for two years. But… I think, it’s time we set each other free.” 

Cath stared straight ahead for a while not even looking him. She sighed and then turned to face him. “Maybe you’re right.” 

——

Steve had been right. A trip around Cath’s home to grab the very few things he kept there, while he waited for her, and one long conversation later, Steve had headed out. He’d walked for a while before he’d found a cab, but he didn’t want to wait with Cath or outside her building. As expected, she’d been hurt, then angry, and finally clearheaded and understanding. Steve hadn’t by any means enjoyed the conversation, but when he walked out the door, he’d felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Now, he just needed to get back to Hawaii, and then get his head on straight before he found Danny. 

——

Steve was in the air heading back to Hawaii, while Danny was coming down the stairs of his parents’ house after putting Grace to bed. He sank into a seat next to his mother on the sofa. His father handing him a tumbler of amber liquid before sitting down in his customary chair. 

His mother looked right at him as he took a sip of the whiskey and then she said, “Alright, spit it out, kiddo. What’s got you in a funk? Is it still the whole thing with Brian?” She took his hand. 

“I’m fine, mom.” Danny replied, giving his mother’s hand a little squeeze. “Actually, those two nights in Montana helped clear my head in a way I didn’t expect.” 

“Then why do you look like someone kicked a puppy?” His father asked. 

His mother chimed in as well. “Has it got anything to do with the Steve guy you shared the room with? Grace barely stopped talking about him long enough to open her presents.”

Sometimes, his mother was a little too perceptive, and today his father seemed to have joined the the team of overly perceptive parents. “Maybe,” Danny replied. 

“Grace said something about a picture from a dance?” His mom looked at him expectantly. 

“Yeah, the town had a Christmas dance. Marie and Joe, the couple who own the Inn, brought us with them. And some guy was taking pictures.” He found the photo on his phone and handed it to his mother. 

“He looks very kind,” she said and handed the picture to his dad. 

“Well, if Grace’s enthusiasm is anything to go by, he is a good guy.” His father sent him a smile and gave Danny the phone back.

“He is,” Danny replied, “but he is also about to ask his girlfriend of over 5 years to marry him.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” His mom put her arm around his shoulder. 

——

With the two men back in Hawaii, life returned to normal, or at least as normal as they could in the days between Christmas and New Years Eve. 

The day after Steve came back to O’ahu, he visited his dad, told him about breaking up with Cath, but didn’t say much about Danny. The next day, Steve is back at work with Freddie complaining about Steve’s mopey face from the chair across Steve’s desk. Not dignifying that with a response, Steve shoved his best friend’s feet of his desk and told him to go fill out his paperwork or he’d make him help HPD with traffic patrol. 

One of the first things Steve had done, when he got back to the office, was to look up Danny. Steve had quickly memorized the man’s phone number and address, and then decided to not think about whether that was creepy or not. He’d been impressed, when he’d looked through Danny’s police record. His closing rate in Newark had been great, and by the looks of it, Danny and Kono made one hell of a team at HPD.

Steve felt his life returning to normal, and he felt more at ease, now that he wasn’t constantly looking for an opening in his schedule that would allow him to fly out to see Cath. But at the same time, he also had Danny appearing in his thoughts every so often. He would be smiling to himself remembering Danny ranting about pineapple on pizza. He woke up one morning from a very pleasant dream that involved the image of a shirtless, sleepy Danny digging around his suitcase for a shirt after waking up the morning after they stranded in Montana. Steve would find himself looking at the picture of the three of them, when he woke up in the morning or right before he went to sleep at night. And he’d be reminded at the most random of times of Grace asking him a million questions in the cab, and how much she’d smiled, when he’d agreed to go with them to the dance. He missed them, and when he woke up on the morning of December 31st, he made a promise to himself. The first phone call he’d make in the new year would be to ask one Detective Danny Williams on a date.

——

Grace and Danny had arrived back in Honolulu on the 28th, and Danny had handed Grace back to Rachel the next day. Grace had insisted he print her two copies of the photo, one for her to keep with him, when he finds an apartment, and one to hang up at home with Rachel and Step-Stan. Danny wasn’t too proud to admit that he’d asked Kono for help with that without even trying by himself first. Kono, of course, had smiled like a lunatic at the picture, told him Steve was hot, and not to give up, because life was full of surprises. 

He was still crashing in Kono’s guest room and as easy-going of a roommate as Kono was, he didn’t want the entire department to start talking as soon as the news spread, when everyone was back at work in the new year. So, the apartment hunt had begun already when he was in New Jersey, and Stan had kindly enough told Danny, he’d reached out to his contacts for anything in Danny’s price range, when he’d dropped off Grace. 

After dropping Grace off, he’d gone into the precinct and ignored Captain Kelly’s jokes about his inability to stay away, when he was supposed to be on vacation. Danny had looked over two cases, only to put them away and look up Steve’s file instead. Danny quickly realized that Steve hadn't been joking, when he'd said that most of his career was classified. Steve McGarrett’s record before becoming the leader of Five-0 was by no means unimpressive, quite the opposite Danny thought, but it was clear that chunks were missing from the official record.

——

“Good morning, blondie!” Kono said as she walked in to the kitchen, smiled, and grabbed the bowl of cereal Danny had just finished pouring right out of his hands with a, “thanks for the breakfast.”

“Kalakaua, you are lucky that I like you.” Danny said trying to sound stern, but started laughing when Kono just stuck her tongue out. Instead, he took a sip of his mug, basking in the knowledge that Kono knew better than to ever touch his coffee. 

“So, you’re coming with me tonight, right?” Kono said around a mouthful. 

“To a party at one of your old surf pals, so they can all make fun of the haole, who doesn’t understand a word they say. No thanks!” Danny grinned, and then said a little more seriously, “Kono, I don’t really feel up for any parties tonight. I think, I’ll just kick back with a beer and wait for the new year to arrive.” 

“Okay, Danny,” Kono said, “it’s totally up to you, but Leilani said you’d be more than welcome. And for the record, it won’t be just surf buddies. Leilani mentioned co-workers and friends from after we both emerged out of the salt water.” 

Kono hopped up on the counter and finished a few more bites before saying, “Does that mean you wont give me a ride out there?” Danny laughed. 

——

“You should come with me and Kelly to the party tonight.” Freddie said looking at Steve across the café table. Freddie and his wife had all but dragged Steve out for breakfast with them and their daughter on the morning of December 31st. Kelly was in the bathroom with the young girl giving the two friends some time to talk. “Kelly said that her friend, Leilani, told her there’d be plenty of people, and I’m sure she wouldn’t mind you tagging along.” 

“Thanks, Freddie, but I don’t feel like being third wheel to you and your wife at a stranger’s party on New Year’s Eve,” Steve said. “I think I’ll grab a drink, ring in the new year and then go home, get an early start tomorrow.” 

“Okay, up to you, buddy,” Freddie said. “But don’t let this thing with Cath keep you down, there’s plenty of fish in the sea.” 

Steve smiled at his friend. “I know.” Freddie’s reply was cut off, when Kelly came back with Steve’s adorable goddaughter. 

“Thanks,” Steve said as the waiter dropped a plate of pancakes and a side of bacon in front of him. 

“Hold up, what happened to Health Freak McGarrett?” Freddie said, eyeing Steve’s food.

Steve grinned, reached for the syrup and spoke out loud with the memory of Danny in his head, “I’m not saying we should exist on sugar, fat and carbs. But every once in a while, they are delicious.” 

——

Steve walked up to the bar, O’Ruddy’s. It was nearing midnight. He’d been sitting out back at home by the house, he’d taken over after his dad, when John had decided he’d rather find a smaller place with less upkeep. Steve had dug his feet in to sand, looked out at the sea, and then he’d remembered Danny saying he wouldn’t have Grace for New Year’s. That’s when a thought hit him, maybe Danny would be at the bar for a touch of the East Coast celebrating the new year, since he hadn’t mentioned any other plans. 

Steve walked in, ordered a beer and looked around. For a second, he thought he’d seen Danny, when he spotted a broad shouldered, blonde man by the pool table. But he’d been wrong. He emptied his beer as he looked at his watch, five minutes to go. 

——

Danny had given Kono a ride, after all she was letting him stay rent free in her spare bedroom. He’d driven home, gotten a beer out the fridge and turned on the TV. He’d let his thoughts wander while some movie, he’d watched too many times to count, played on the TV. He’d been looking at his now almost empty beer, when O’Ruddy’s had popped in to his head, and Danny had thought, why the hell not, at least he’d feel at home in the bar. Kono didn’t live too far away from the bar, so he’d hoofed it. He wasn’t going to drink and drive, and it’d probably take three times as long trying to get a cab this close to midnight. 

Danny stood outside the door to the bar and looked down at his watch. Five minutes to midnight. He was about to go inside when the door opened and, “Steve?!” 

Steve stopped in his tracks and look right at Danny. “Danny! Hi!”

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be with Catherine?” Danny asked.

“Yeah, well, I touched back down here at 3am on the 27th. I wasn’t exactly asked to stay after I told Cath that we’d be better off going our separate ways,” Steve answered, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he shrugged.

“You broke up with her?” Danny tried to not to show exactly, how pleased he was to hear that. 

“Yes, I guess getting stranded with a grumpy guy from Jersey and his adorable daughter, gives a guy time to think about the big decisions in life.” Steve looked at Danny, laughing at the look on the other man’s face at being called grumpy. “I can’t believe I found you.” 

Danny raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You been looking for me?” 

“Well, yes.” Steve replied. “I might have found you’re phone number, and I may have made a resolution that you’d be the first person I call after midnight.” 

Danny looked at Steve, for once in his life he wasn’t sure what to say, so all he said was, “Why?” 

“Because I met the most infuriating guy on a plane to New York, and then lo and behold I end up stranded with him. This guy, who might be easy on the eyes, is loud, opinionated and doesn’t give a shit what I think about him. And we hadn’t spoken a word to each other without arguing since we met. And yet, he offers to share his hotel room with me, because I apparently look pathetic sleeping on a bench.” Steve said and continued before Danny could answer. “And then to make matters even worse, he turns out to be a great guy with an amazing kid. He made me see things from a different perspective. But most important, he showed me that I didn’t have to walk on egg shells around people, and that you should be able to speak your mind around loved ones.” Steve finished his small speech by taking a deep breath and saying, “So, Danny, I wanted to find you, so I could ask you out. On a date, with me.”

“Steve, I never wanted to make you doubt your relationship,” Danny began, but didn’t get to say anything else. Steve stepped right up to him and took his hand. 

“You didn’t, Danny. I already were. I just hadn’t figured out why. You just asked the questions that made me think, questions I had ignored from other people. I think Cath and I had been over for a long time, but neither one of us realized,” Steve said sincerely.

“Okay. Yes, to the date. And yes, my daughter is amazing, and she has already told my parents, my siblings, her mother and my partner everything about you, so you better be ready to deal with that.” Danny replied looking up at Steve, who was standing very close now. 

“I’m more than okay with that,” Steve said with a big smile. “Tomorrow. You, me, breakfast date. I don’t care where or how, just say yes?” 

“Okay,” Danny agreed. And in the background they could hear people counting down from ten. 

_“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…”_

Danny and Steve moved even closer and counted together, “five, four, three, two, one.”

“Happy New Year, Danny.” Steve said, and leaned down. 

“Happy New Year, Steve.” Danny whispered and closed the gap between them by dragging Steve into a kiss. 

Finally! Finally, Danny thought to himself as he felt Steve’s lips on his own. He could taste the beer Steve had finished in the bar minutes ago. He could smell Steve and his cologne, a smell that Danny hadn’t even realized he’d missed until now. He felt completely enveloped by Steve, who had one arm around Danny’s waist and the other holding tightly at the front of his shirt. Danny gripped Steve tighter with the arm around his shoulder, and he pulled the other man even deeper into the kiss with the hand in Steve’s hair. 

And neither one of them noticed the fireworks exploding over the city or the people streaming out of the bars. Nor did they notice Noel standing on the corner across from them. He was smiling. Another Christmas marvel had been completed, even if it was a little late this time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’ve reached the end. Thank you for sticking with me, and thank you for the lovely response to the first fanfic I ever actually posted. It’s the best end to 2019 I could have wished for. I want to wish you all a Happy New Year, and I hope 2020 brings you everything you hope for.


End file.
